


Tanami Road

by fluffychanel



Series: Thematic Tales! [2]
Category: Bleach
Genre: Horror, M/M, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Stockholm Syndrome, Violence, dub-con, good ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-01
Updated: 2020-11-29
Packaged: 2021-03-07 21:40:19
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 32,124
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26744512
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fluffychanel/pseuds/fluffychanel
Summary: Tanami Road: the road is long and paved with bad intentions...I mean, Tanami Road, the outback starts here.Alright, it’s October, and that means Halloween month!! And so Tanami Road was born: Warning!! Inspired by Wolf Creek, you’ve been warned!! Thread with caution. Dub-Con-ish!!!
Relationships: Kyouraku Shunsui/Aizen Sousuke
Series: Thematic Tales! [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1841554
Comments: 24
Kudos: 23





	1. You need a ride?

**Author's Note:**

> I want to thank calla_lilalma for taking a look at my first draft and giving me some pointers, girl, you’re always there to listen to my rambles/rants, I can’t thank you enough for being amazing!! 
> 
> Disclaimer: I do not own Bleach, obviously.

**Chapter one: You need a ride?**

“....I’m taking a gap year actually. I decided to travel the world while I still can, it’s now that I have to take that chance.” Sousuke answered.

Arriving at Yuendumu Airport, he must have looked like the typical backpacker. Idly standing in the entrance hall and checking brochures and his phone, would have otherwise made him the perfect bait for scammers. Yet Yuendumu airport was a national Australian airport, with only a couple of routinely public charter flights. The small indigenous community in Yuendumu were not really prone to become a mass tourist-trap anytime soon, judging by the trailer looking homes, which was for the best. Nothing destroyed culture faster than greed.

He had been about to begin his search for someone who was willing to give him a lift when he had been approached by a woman. When hearing about his plans to get to Halls Creek throughout hitchhiking, she seemed interested and even offered him a ride to the nearest pitstop.

“And Australia is your first choice? Then why aren’t you visiting kangaroo Island in Adelaide?” 

He had rolled down the window on the passenger seat and as soon as he rested his elbow on the arm rest he could feel the sun burning on his skin. Looking outside, it hit him that they were truly in the middle of the desert, with no pavement or signs of civilisation. Just pure sand in all directions.

No bales of hay that just scurried randomly passed them, like one would see in American cartoons. In fact, there was still a lot of greenery: grass, shrubs and bushes lined the road.

Not quite desolated, which was what he came here for in the first place; to see pure nature instead of visiting a city-center, crammed with tourists. And he was willing to go to great lengths, seeing as he had to fly from Haneda airport to Darwin international, so he could fly to Alice Springs National airport in order to take a public charter plane to Yuendumu.

Together good for more than 24 hours of flight with all the waiting times in between...

No, it was about time to travel on foot...or at least by car. So he could enjoy what he came here for. 

“I want to see pure nature, not the city sky line.” he had enough of that in Tokyo.

Lowanna, The woman who was giving Sousuke a lift, suddenly interrupted him to say, “The outback starts here.” 

It was the only sort of intersection they came upon, which lead unto the same flat sandy road. It was obvious that someone had to be maintaining this road when it turned into quite the bumpy ride. The old farmers truck of the woman was ideal for harsher terrain, but it definitely wasn’t smoothly flying over the missing parts.

‘Welcome to Tanami Road’ the sign declared. 

Perhaps not exactly much different from the last...ten minutes of desert, but he was still in awe at the vast landscape. Guaranteed the scenery would become mundane after a couple of days... But it was still fresh and much different from what he was used to. 

“So you’re still studying?” Lowena asked him, gaze focused ahead.

He looked minutely at her. 

“Yes, I’m majoring in Criminal Justice, in the University of Tokyo.” 

Lowanna glanced back at him with wide eyes. “I better keep to the speed limits then...”

He chuckled.

With so little traffic...

His main reason for studying law was so he could bend the rules to his liking. If there was one thing that stuck with him throughout all those codes, it was that one could easily interpret the law differently, one just had to have a golden tongue, never mind the precedents.

The scenery suddenly changed when smack in the middle of the desert, a couple of trailers bordered the road.

Turned out it was the pitstop, the only one in the vicinity, Lowanna reminded him. At least for the next 200 kilometres... She was going to drop him off here. 

“So you better stock up on some food, kiddo!” 

He actually had some snacks in his backpack, recognisable snacks from the duty free shops at Darwin. For which he was thankful for, because if he looked at the two trailers surrounded by scraps of car pieces and old stripped cars, he wasn’t so sure of trying any adventurous foods here. He was not a picky eater, but...

The second he stepped out of the car he heard a dog barking viciously. The animal was chained near the trailer that had a sign of, ‘open’, hanging off of the trailer door. The flickering plate barely hung on...

A tourist’s sweetest dream, he thought sarcastically.

“Are you sure you don’t want to come back with me so you can rent a car to Halls Creek?”

No, it was supposed to be an adventure, that was the point of his trip! Besides hiring a car suitable for such a road would force him to hire one of those big off road vehicles. The price for fuel would be a big bite out of his budget. He wouldn’t be able to travel a whole year, much less see the rest of the world and his gap year couldn’t possibly turn out to be useless... 

“I’m fine.”

“Are you gonna be okay, hitchhiking alone?” 

The question made him frown.

If he were a female traveling alone, hitchhiking might not be the best idea, but he was a fully grown adult male, what could possibly go wrong? Besides, he had done jujutsu up until his late teens, so there was no way that anyone could take him out easily. He was anything but a foolish tourist.

“I can take care of myself.” he reassured her nonetheless, with more annoyance than he wanted to let on. Before he closed the car-door and turned around to check out the small shop. Maybe he could go for a bathroom stop as well. 

Yet, he couldn’t set one foot into that direction or the honk of a car along with said gigantic vehicle zooming passed him, made him take a step back.

“Oi watch it mate!” 

After his heart stopped pulsing in his throat, he looked back at Lowanna, who had inquired if he was alright.

So much for surviving only one second after he had arrived, Lowanna probably didn’t have much confidence in his survival instincts. He gave a wry smile to the woman and a wave to ensure that she could go, before finally stepping away from the car.

He still tried to take a quick look at the lunatic whom had almost ran him over, the man -apparently- had decided to stop in front of the shop. Sousuke couldn’t see a face, the leathery cowboy hat covered up any identifiable features except a thick ponytail of curly brown hairs. 

The mad driver had entered the shop flawlessly, without the big street dog barking. He had even pet the wild animal and it quieted down almost immediately. 

A frequent visitor perhaps?

Because when he tried to pass by the dog just as nonchalantly, he almost stumbled back when it came running towards him, honing in on him, fast. The chain rattled as it was driven to a stretch, but it held the dog, thankfully back.

He kept an eye on the growling dog the entire time while entering the shop, afraid the chain would break the second he turned his back. He had only been standing outside for a couple of seconds but the sun-rays had been harsh. And he had expected the shop to have a basic air-conditioning system, yet...it was almost just as hot inside as it was outside.

Maybe the local people were used to the heat... Because they all seemed to be wearing long sleeves even...

It was a small shop, with two refrigerators in the middle and shelving against the walls full of snacks and gadgets. He immediately went to one of the coolers, more so to tap off of the cold from within the box instead of choosing one of the items.

Dried food was going to be his best friend for the next days, unless he came upon a restaurant on his way over. His backpack would be heating up fairly quickly under the unforgiving sun so taking any fresh ingredients with him wouldn’t have the freshness lasting long.

He took one of the plasticised fried chicken breasts anyway, contemplating if he should maybe eat it outside of the shop while he would be waiting on a first lift...

“Tender meat, from the best chook around here.”

He startled at the voice. And while he looked back to see the crazy driver beside him, he couldn’t really recall what the other had said. Not because of the southern accent, nor because English wasn’t his first language, but because he was simply surprised at the other talking to him.

The man flashed him a blinding smile before digging in the cooler himself to pick out a few packages of that tender meat.

While Sousuke turned around to inspect any of the dried snacks instead. More as a distraction at that point. He wanted to say something about the other almost running him over, but then again, he wasn’t here to start any trouble.

It was a vacation and the point of a vacation was to relax, so he just needed to let it go.

He picked up a package that said mini lamingtons. It had a cake on the picture in the front and the pieces seemed to be sprinkled with coconut shavings. But he wasn’t sure whether it still needed to be baked or not, he squeezed the package to try and figure that out.

But the chocolate would melt, wouldn’t it?

In the end, he bought the bare necessities, with the emphasis on plenty of water.

At the register, he questioned if there was a lavatory somewhere and the cashier pointed outside.

He stepped back into the heat, mindful this time of the big dog. And when he took off in the direction the cashier had directed him, he could only see a written sign, in the form of an arrow that said, ‘Dunny’ pointed to somewhere to the back.

His steps were cautious on his way over, mindful of another guard dog lurking around the corner. 

What he hadn’t expected, was an outhouse. Hygienic conditions were terrible but comparing it to how his bathroom breaks would turn out on his road trip, he guessed that the pit latrine was still a luxury...

With no sink in the vicinity he had to open one of his water bottles already.

He returned back to the front of the shop, behind one of those stripped cars, so he was out of sight from the dog, and in the shade.

Now he had to wait on any potential rides... 

The mad driver was filling up his gigantic 6x4 with fuel. The man was wearing a dark red checkered shirt, along with blue jeans and boots. The complete picture along with the cowboy hat made him think of a western movie. Well, the man certainly thought he was in the Wild, Wild West with those driving skills...

Wrong part of the world though.

When the man was done he gave Sousuke a wave, which Sousuke ignored with a turn of the head as if he had just spotted his next ride. Before the matt cherry red pickup truck drove off in the direction Sousuke had come from.

Even in the shade it was hot though...

Maybe he should have put an ad online on a backpackers’ forum, asking for a lift. Because now he was doomed to be standing alone in acres upon acres of desert without a car in sight.

He took out his phone that luckily still had reception and internet access in order to browse through some sites.

But even if he posted something on a forum now, it would take a while before he would get any reply... 

He decided to leave the shade and walk to the edge of the road to see if he could see any incoming vehicles from afar. Empty, the road was empty. On the left side, the sun blinded his vision and when he looked to the right, the blazing heat created some type of fuzzy mirage, almost water like, and he had been here for less than an hour...

When the sound of motorcycles resounded he was prepared to halt the two wheelers when they stopped at the shop either way. But when he saw that the motor cyclists had already company in the back, his relief was short lived.

Oh well... Should he wait another twenty minutes in the burning sun, or should he take a chance and go on foot until a vehicle passed him? Both options weren’t the greatest, but his increasing desperation took the upper hand. 

And so his choice was made quickly, he wasn’t about to wait idly on a chauffeur when he had two legs that could take him the first stretch.

Besides who could say they had walked the outback?

But the sun was his enemy. His skin was burning even with a spf 50... He should have brought a parasol... Yet where would he have hidden that? His backpack was full of cooking supplies, food, clothes and his tent. He couldn’t take everything with him...

He must have been walking a kilometre yet when he looked back the shop still seemed a couple of steps away from him. Which was discouraging to say the least. 

The motorcyclists even passed him not even a minute later, creating a huge wave of sand dust that had him coughing for a good minute. 

Sousuke had to admit that maybe he had imagined his backpacking adventure to turn out a little differently. Or he could at least have prepared himself better by doing proper research on the outback. 

Because it turned out the road was pretty desolate...

When he heard the roaring of a motor behind him, he thought he finally had better luck. Any motor sound made him happy at that point. Well, except that one.

He saw the flamboyant coloured 6X4 cruising his way, and he quickly looked back in front of him. And he made sure to strut down the road, even though his back was already hurting beneath the weight of his backpack.

The deep red colour almost shone in the sun, despite the paint job giving off a matt appearance. He glanced out of the corner of his eye as it slowed down to a walking pace. 

“You need a ride?”

He took a quick look at the guy who had one arm on the steering wheel and one arm hanging outside. The man’s sleeve was pulled up to show off a hairy arm.

“I’m fine.” Sousuke stubbornly declined and hoisted his bag up higher on his shoulder to continue on foot. No way would he take a ride with that madman. 

He thought he had accomplished his disinterest when the pickup truck drove on, only for the lunatic to block his road by parking diagonally. The man stepped out and although Sousuke wanted to pass by the guy on his other side, he was suddenly confronted by their size difference.

How hadn’t he noticed that?

The guy must have been a good head taller than him. 

“S’alright.” the man said and even reached out to take a hold of the straps of his backpack to slide it off. 

Kami...the man just didn’t give up did he? Fine! If he was so inclined to give him a lift...

He had to be honest though, it was actually better than waiting another twenty minutes on a vehicle...

But the madman better drove carefully though! 

“I only have Yen with me though...I forgot to exchange currency at the airport...” It was an excuse that had worked with Lowenna. He had to save up somewhere if he wanted to make that trip around the world. The man didn’t look like he had a cellphone on him so by the time the guy had exchanged the money into Australian dollars, Sousuke would have long since been far away from him. He took out the amount he had paid Lowenna as well: 1.200,00 Yen. “With the current exchange rate, this should be roughly around 30,00 Australian dollar.” he lied.

But the guy foolishly believed him.

“S’alright. I trust you, you seem like a good kid.” The man smiled and motioned him to the passenger seat while going around to the back of the vehicle to get to the trunk. The trunk had looked open from where Sousuke had been standing but it was actually covered up.

When Sousuke stepped into the car, he praised his decision solely because of the air-conditioning. But he couldn’t help but admire the off road vehicle in itself as well. It was seated high and he had a lot of room in the passenger seat. It was almost a semi-truck. The rear view mirror had a picture dangling off of it and the country music playing created a jubilant atmosphere. 

It wasn’t his worst decision by far!

The car even smelled nice; an earthy rosewood scent.

And the man drove smoothly or the car glided easily through the sandy terrain. Those double rear tires had to have some sort of functionality...

And just like with Lowenna, small talk became the perfect excuse to ask about his plans. But unlike Lowenna, the man spoke so fast that he could barely understand his mumblings.

“Sorry...A bit slower...English is not-”

“S’okay.” the man shrugged and looked outside which came off rather brusque at first, before he actually did some effort to make it understandable. It was a lot slower and particularly articulated, “Where are you off to?” 

Sousuke told about his dream of backpacking the outback and how his destination was Halls Creek so he could visit the China Wall and Purnululu National Park.

The man snorted, “Terrible.” he said which made Sousuke raise an eyebrow in confusion. The man met his gaze minutely, with the road being as empty as it was, paying attention to the road must have been more like a guideline. “Blatant tourist traps, I could show you better places.”

“Mhh...” Well, his mind was set. He gave a wry smile in order to politely decline the other’s offer. Better to change the subject entirely actually, before his scam with the Yen bills would be found out anyways. He wasn't planning on doing the whole stretch with one driver, he just needed to get to the next gas station, that was it. “Do you live around here?” Well he didn’t mean literally in the desert they were driving through, but somewhere in the vicinity...

But the man gave a deep belly laugh and never answered.

It was not like he needed to know the other’s exact location...

Sousuke startled at the man’s incoming hand, but the arm came to rest on the back of his headrest. Ahm...personal space?! 

“What do you do for a living?” 

“I’m still a student, majoring in Criminal Justice.” he was no doubt going to have to repeat that often during his trip around the world.

“Are you displeased with the justice system? Endeavouring to make the world a better place?”

Sousuke didn’t expect such a response when he told the man his major, but he was pleasantly surprised at the answer. It was certainly a nice change from the otherwise usual small talk.

But with the man talking slower and articulating, it actually made it harder to observe the emotion behind his tone. 

“Like the dozen of other students that chose to study law.” Sousuke chuckled instead, preferring not to share his true feelings. 

Those sort of objections would make Sousuke seem inexperienced or way too optimistic. But he was anything but, he was a realist, bordering on idealistic, but definitely not in the direction of childish naivety. He knew how the world operated: power and influence.

And so his true objections were to turn the world to the shape of his hand. An accurate description, but that wouldn’t make him very sympathetic, now would it.

His driver nodded amusedly.

Maybe it hadn’t been that original...but Sousuke wasn’t here to earn some credentials. Especially not with someone who didn’t look like they even owned a degree.

“So how come you’re here and not studying?”

Fair enough. 

“I’m taking a gap year. Unfortunately, I have to use another cliche for that, but I want to see the world.”

“I see...” The man glanced momentarily at him to flash another one of those radiant smiles. “They’re not expecting you home anytime soon.”

Exactly. Unless his budget was splurged, he wouldn’t be planning on a return flight.

“Coming here must have been quite the culture shock.” 

Actually, the whole backpacking culture was a shock. He had always been the type to travel from hotel to hotel while in Japan. So to suddenly decide on a backpackers trip was kind of daring. It certainly was adventurous. Something out of his comfort zone.

At his confession of inexperience, his driver recoiled in a startled manner, which made Sousuke avert his eyes to the steering wheel when the man raised both of his hands. “And you think you will survive?” Driving with one hand, okay, but no hands?! Sousuke had wanted to take over, just in case, but the man returned both hands to the wheel. They momentarily even brushed hands.

At that rate, he might not survive...

“I wanted to challenge myself.” Sousuke said with an indecisive nod. Sure there was no one else on the road, but...

“So you like a challenge?”

He never recoiled back from any challenge, so he just smiled.

The man suddenly held his left hand in the air, positioned towards him, and Sousuke was kind of at a loss at what to do with that, when the man motioned for a high five.

Oh!...

The firm slap of the other’s hand kind of stung though...

When Sousuke suddenly saw other traffic in the distance, he was almost at an awe. Finally someone else on the road! He did say he wanted a change from the busy city-centre, but the desolate state of the road almost held an apocalyptic feel to it. 

It were actually the two motorcyclists and with their pickup truck they gained up on them fast. For a second it seemed as if they would bump unto the the two-wheelers, since his driver was gaining speed rapidly. Sousuke was automatically even pushing down on the breaks, even though the passenger seat had none. It was just a reflex. Before they smoothly manoeuvred passed the two motorcyclists.

But with their speed, they left a cloud of dust behind them...

He looked at the man next to him, who was nonchalantly murmuring along to the lyrics of a random song on the radio. 

“...I know my dad had to get used to how things go around here when he married my mom.”

“Mhh?”

“He’s Japanese, he met my mother who was an Australian traveling through Japan. And you know how that goes, they fell in love and he followed his love here.” When the man raised his hands again, Sousuke’s instinct to take over the wheel caught up too late when he was still processing what the other had said. “And then I was borne, Kyouraku Shunsui, by the way.”

He leaned forwards, not so subtly trying to get a better look at the man’s face. And for a first he didn’t directly zoom in on that maintained beard, but focused on certain features instead.

Ah yes. Now he did see it when looking at his eyes. But Kyouraku’s eyes were lighter than the average Japanese person. A lot lighter...

When he noticed that Kyouraku was grinning at him, Sousuke returned his gaze to the sandy road instead.

Forgive his rudeness, but he hadn’t expected that. What were the odds that he would meet an Australian citizen of Japanese decent in the middle of the outback?

That little tidbit kind of increased his curiosity in Kyouraku.

And...it made things a lot easier.

Sousuke started speaking in Japanese, the familiarity of his native tongue feeling like an easy stream of consciousness to him. Though it deflated when Kyouraku looked sheepishly confused.

“Ah...” Kyouraku gave him a half shrug. “Can’t understand that, I was never taught my father’s mother tongue actually.”

Oh... Weren’t there a lot of International Japanese schools here in Australia? Maybe not in the outback though...but still... 

Unease momentarily gripped him: the Yen bills... For sure Kyouraku must have visited his father’s family. So it wouldn't be the first time that he had had Japanese money in hand.

He was contemplating on an excuse, but decided against bringing that back up. Kyouraku hadn’t mentioned it so...

And instead of suspecting him or throwing him out, Kyouraku was more than glad to give him his whole history.

Kyouraku’s father had been born in the same district that Sousuke’s parents lived and that somehow relieved the feeling of alienation that had settled in him since he had stepped out of the plane. Funny how small the world could suddenly turn out to be. 

“A military officer?” 

Apparently, Kyouraku had followed in his father’s footsteps and had chosen the military path. The stranger danger around the lunatic that had almost ran him over lessened greatly when he came to know bits and pieces about his chauffeur.

He looked beside him and saw Kyouraku minutely grasping the picture that hung off of the rear view mirror. “Until the deployments started to get in the way of my relationship.” he said with a rueful smile.

When Kyouraku let go, the picture swung around and Sousuke could take a good look at the one in the picture. It was actually a man and not a woman. At first glance that long white hair had made Sousuke mistake him for a woman. That gentle and almost demure look about him must have added to that illusion. 

Odd why his first impression about Kyouraku had been that the man must have been straight.

He couldn’t help but do a once over of Kyouraku again. The beard, the chest hair that peeked out of the red checkered shirt, his clothes... The man didn’t exactly give off the vibe that he was part of the ‘gay’ scene, at least not the one Sousuke was accustomed to.

Yet Sousuke himself wasn’t exactly outspoken about his sexual preference. He wasn't flamboyantly feminine either, so that had been kind of hypocritical of him.

Kyouraku tipped back his cowboy hat and those eyes crinkled fondly. “My husband and I moved out of Alice Springs on the lookout for some peace.” he motioned around them.

Kyouraku was actually kind of attractive... That radiant smile alone... 

It was infectious if anything, because Sousuke found himself smiling along to the memory, until Kyouraku mentioned, “Well, late husband...” 

Oh...

He was at a loss of what to say. Sorry?

So he just kept quiet instead and decided to look back out unto the road. Some hills in the back broke off those endless flat plains.

“But enough about me,” He jumped lightly when Kyouraku’s arm sprang in from the corner of his eye. The other’s hairy limb sought support on his head rest once again. “you have yet to tell me your name.” 

He forgot to introduce himself? “Aizen.” he nodded in a greeting manner.

But Kyouraku questioned almost immediately, “Only a surname, no first name?”

Were they even on first name basis? Such an odd thing to assume, but Kyouraku might not exactly be used to the customs... “...Sousuke...” he answered hesitatingly. Maybe Kyouraku understood his tone.

Yet, “I’ll call you Sousuke?” Kyouraku urged in a friendly tone.

“Mhh...” Sousuke murmured indecisively, but Kyouraku didn’t pick up on his negation.

“Say Sousuke, I’d say we stop here for a bite.” Kyouraku suggested once he had already parked on the side of the road.

They would stop already? Couldn’t they continue to drive on until the next stopping house? So Sousuke could take his next lift? 

But Kyouraku had already stepped out of the car, in fact he was already rummaging through the trunk.

The heat hit Sousuke immediately when he got out as well. That was one of the disadvantageous of sitting in an air-conditioned space: to be confronted with a blast of heatwave afterwards.

He was about to join Kyouraku at the back of the car, but he was urged to go find a spot to sit down.

On the ground in the dirt? Or the high dry grass that almost felt like hay?

There were rocks though, suitable for a ten minute stop max. He really didn’t want to waste any time. He would enjoy the peace alone when he set up camp somewhere near sunset. 

Kyouraku didn’t walk directly towards him and instead walked right passed him. “Not near the road, the dust will douse the fire.” He had been carrying a container, a cooler and his backpack.

Fire? They were starting a fire? With the weather being as dry as it was, was that even permitted? Or safe for that matter?

He wanted to take at least his backpack from Kyouraku, but by the time he caught up, Kyouraku had already declared a flat piece of dirt as the spot to start a grill. 

And Kyouraku just plopped himself down on the ground, legs folded, he seemed ready to start a camp fire. The container was then being converted into a stove and from the cooler Kyouraku procured two pieces of fish.

“Trout.” Apparently.

Still, that was not exactly responsible with the current weather. And Kyouraku had complained about the dust near the road, but with a gust of wind, whatever would lay on the burner would be seasoned easily with a sprinkle of dust anyways...

“Aren’t you going to sit down?” Kyouraku peered up at him from under the rim of his cowboy hat.

And under the blazing sun, Sousuke wished he had bought one of those tourist hats or caps in the airport...

“I’ve sat down enough on the plane.” he lied.

It must have been a see-through lie since Kyouraku motioned at the cooler. “You can sit down.”

Well... He followed that advice, but only in the guise of reaching into his backpack, so he could hydrate. He practically drank the rest of what was left in his already opened water bottle in one go. 

He felt a nudge against his knee and glanced at Kyouraku who was grinning amusedly. “Rule number one on a backpackers trip, wear appropriate clothing.”

So he had been found out...

“I am.” he replied stubbornly. A blue polo shirt and jeans shorts, how was that not appropriate? He definitely wasn’t going to be running around like an obvious tourist with ugly fleece.

“You’re wearing jeans.”

“So are you.” he retorted to which Kyouraku chuckled.

“I’m not backpacking. Besides, it’s not from a fancy brand either, but I reckon this is.”

When Sousuke felt Kyouraku’s hand slither to the back of his jeans to palm the leathery patch at his waist band, he squirmed lightly. That had been bold.

His common sense returned to brush off Kyouraku’s hand, but the man was already busy with starting a fire...

That had been...awkward? Kind of uneasy, but what was worse was that it wasn’t entirely unpleasant... Sousuke promptly opened a second bottle of water and drank to wash away that thought.

He liked his personal space and would have long since made that clear to anyone else, but Kyouraku...

The man was fascinating...

Until Kyouraku reached for his backpack and started rummaging in it.

The man was apparently nosy.

Sousuke took his backpack out of the other’s hands and inquired what the other wanted. Sure Kyouraku was willingly going to share his food, but the older man shouldn’t automatically assume that it would give him privileges to go through his stuff.

“The billy.”

“Billy?”

“The metal tin.” Kyouraku chuckled. 

Even though it surprised him that Kyouraku knew exactly what was inside of his backpack, he still handed over the metal tin. To which Kyouraku casually began cooking the fish. 

He waited on an explanation, alas... Kyouraku wasn’t conscious of any ill doing whatsoever. 

“You’ve been going through my stuff?”

If Kyouraku wasn’t spontaneously going to explain it, Sousuke would ask. That was his privacy! His money, passport and traveling documents were hidden in there.

He fought off the strong urge to inspect his things. Why should that make him uncomfortable when it was Kyouraku who had snooped into his stuff in the first place?

“Sorry ‘bout that.” Kyouraku made direct eye contact. “I gotta make sure whom I’m traveling with.”

His reason was valuable though, Sousuke couldn’t deny that, but it still left him with a feeling of unease and the urge to check his things himself. Couldn’t the other just have asked? 

“What was your first impression of me then?” He didn’t really look like the shady type, why else would Kyouraku even offer him a ride? 

“Honestly?” Kyouraku’s upper lip curled up. It was that bad? “Like your folks probably paid for everything.” 

“What gave that away, my jeans?” he asked sarcastically.

He was actually pretty self sufficient. His parents were middle class, so they couldn’t possibly afford him a trip around the world. Lots of part-time jobs made this and designer clothes possible. What do you know, he actually worked for it.

“Your loafers.” Kyouraku winked. “Which backpacker doesn’t travel with decent sneakers or if you wanna go fancy, timberlands?”

Sousuke hooked one leg over the other and pursed his lips.

“It surprises me that you have no blisters yet.”

No they were comfortable actually...

“Says the man that has a cooker in his trunk. If you’re such an expert than why aren’t you making a real campfire?” he retorted. 

“I told you, boy, I’m no backpacker.” Kyouraku leaned into him and Sousuke had been hit with a familiar scent that made him temporarily speechless. It was the same sort of rosewood scent that lingered in the car as well...

His cologne?

“Besides, I don’t wanna risk setting the bush on fire.”

As a matter of fact, there were plenty of bushes. At least he found out that Kyouraku had some common sense as well.

Manners? Not as much, since they ate the fish with their hands... His water bottle came in handy for a quick wash up once again. 

He never really was a fan of fish but the trout was really good. And with the sudden silence it must have been a sign that it tasted for the both of them.

Until Kyouraku motioned at his legs, along with a, “S’cuse me.”

“Mhh?” It took a minute longer to understand that Kyouraku wanted to access the cooler.

A bottle of wine was taken out, or at least a drink that resembled the alcohol. And with a nudge of his chin, Kyouraku motioned for him to do the same.

Drinking and driving?

He might not be that informed of international law, certainly not Australian law, but... “The law permits drunken drivers here?” he cocked his head in a doubtful manner. 

“Nah...” Kyouraku gave a dismissive wave with his hand. “A couple of swigs hardly gets me drunk.” 

That sounded more as if Kyouraku was looking for an excuse...

And before he knew it a rattle of keychains resounded before said keys were thrown on his lap. New-founded respect for Kyouraku grew when the same sort of picture of Kyouraku’s husband hung in between a set of keys. Including the car key.

He gave a confused shrug as Kyouraku answered, “‘right, persecutor in the making, you drive then.”with a big smile. 

Oh no... “No.” Sousuke was already shaking his head and offering Kyouraku’s keys back, but the man pushed his wrist back. “I can’t drive with that...” he motioned at the huge pick up truck that could be seen even from their spot. 

“You got a driver’s license.”

Yes, but...wait what...how did he even know that?! “You looked ins-” But his accusation was cut off just as fast with Kyouraku’s resolve.

“Then you can drive.”

“Humph!”

“I’ll be sitting beside you, no drama.” He should have shaken off the warm palm that suddenly settled on his knee, but the reassurance was nice. Kyouraku trusted him not to crash that car? Sure there was practically no one on the road...

Yet...when they did go back on the road and he had to get used to the dimensions of the semi-truck, a real truck came from the other side. And to have another, considerably larger vehicle pass him, made him nervous which translated in him unknowingly wobbling the 6x4 from side to side. Even going as far as dodging the gigantic truck by driving even more to the left side. Until Kyouraku steadied his steering wheel. “No worries, you don’t need to drive into the bush.” Easier said than done! 

They hadn’t encountered any oncoming cars the entire time that Kyouraku had driven the car, but when he took over, surprisingly there was a lot more traffic...

But when they were alone on the road his confidence geared up again and he actually kind of regretted not renting a car after all.

“Say dero,” Dero? “you don’t have an international driving permit, so what you’re doing now is illegal. It’s even worse than drinking and driving.”

He swatted at Kyouraku’s arm that had returned to his head rest since assisting his driving.

“I know what you think of me...” he didn’t dare more than a glance at Kyouraku, because even though the road was empty, the sun was setting and unfamiliar territory had his eyes glued to the road. “Me having rich parents... I must be a goodie two shoes? Is that what they say?” he glanced at Kyouraku again for confirmation.

Kyouraku gave him a funny look. 

“Anyways... I’m actually not that good. I plagiarised my bachelor’s dissertation off of a friend’s. Well...friend...not anymore.”

Why did he feel the need to say that, or prove his worth for that matter?

“Aha...” he felt Kyouraku staring. “And you’re studying law eh?”

Perhaps he was becoming a little too comfortable around Kyouraku. He parked at the side of the road and told Kyouraku that he was thankful for the lift, but that he was getting tired, jet lag and all, and that he would set up camp and tomorrow look for another lift to continue down the road.

“Camping?” Kyouraku motioned at the hillside landscape that complimented the orange glow of the sun beautifully. “Hold up, the dingos are gonna eat you.”

Dingos? Sousuke had seen a herd of cows crossing the road and birds up in the sky, but he hadn’t seen anything that looked like a dingo. “Isn’t there fencing build to keep out the dingos and such?” he had read about the wildlife he would come up on. And snakes were definitely one of the dangers, but dingos?... 

Kyouraku smacked his lips in a negative sound. “The fencing doesn't stretch all over. I’ll take over from here and you can take a nap while I drive.” 

Kyouraku was no longer a stranger in the exact sense of the term, but to trust the man while he slept?

“Oh no,” he declined, but Kyouraku had stepped out once again. When the door of his driver’s seat was opened and Kyouraku motioned to scoot over unto the passenger’s seat, Sousuke persisted, “I don’t want to bother you any longer...”

But so did Kyouraku and he was quite literally forced into the passenger seat when the man almost sat down on his lap when he didn’t want to move. “It’s okay, I’m not gonna murder you in your sleep.” Oh well...that was reassuring. “I’ll do that when you’re awake.” 

Said in a goofy tone or not, Sousuke did not like hearing that one bit. And that totally drove his sleep away as well. “But just until the next stop, that’s where I go off.”


	2. Peek a boo!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Even with the story put on Non-active, it was still receiving kudos, so I take it I was a little to quick to write it off. We all have those days of course. But an update is here, right in time for Halloween. 

**Chapter 2: Peek a boo!**

Unfortunately the next pit stop wasn’t exactly around the corner. Which could partially be Kyouraku’s driving speed, which had slowed down for some reason...

Sousuke could be mistaken, but the vehicle seemed to have decelerated drastically. He couldn’t count on the passing inanimate objects like bushes and lamp posts for verification. Because it had gotten so dark outside that he couldn’t even glance out of the windows anymore. 

Except the vehicles’s headlights that radiated like beams unto the road ahead, there was nothing but darkness. So even if they passed by a pit stop, chances were Sousuke wouldn’t have been aware of it.

His only perception that shoved this detail to the forefront of his mind was his sensation of the vehicle’s movements. While the car had previously driven smoothly over any potholes in the road, it was now lightly rocking the car? It wasn’t exactly glaringly obvious, but it was noticeable.

The pitch dark could warrant anyone into a cautious state, especially on the road. Sousuke himself did suffer from night blindness, or if he had to be completely honest with himself, he needed glasses period.

So as someone who suffered from poor eyesight, he could understand the need for vigilance.

Yet it only served as an indirect stimulus to his exhaustion. It was almost like he was being lulled into a sleepy state.

Having being stuck on a plane in between two strangers in a row of three had Sousuke barely catching any sleep at all. He hadn’t even taken a nap on his shorter flights, simply because he preferred being in control of his senses when surrounded by a bunch of strangers. 

It might be his sleep muddled brain, but the air-con also seemed to have been turned down, because the car was generating a cozy heat, practically urging him to nod off.

He looked at Kyouraku, yet the man showed no signs of being effected by all of his concerns, not by the warmth in the car or the dark... 

Perhaps he should just close his eyes for a few seconds. If he were to be dropped off in a bit, he needed to be alert himself. Since they hadn’t encountered any headlights from behind or in front of them for a while. The road was deserted once again, so Sousuke really shouldn’t rely on the possibility of jumping straight into his next hitch. 

He startled when his seat was suddenly pulled back, sadly the slight scare was not enough to drive away his sleep... 

Kyouraku’s laugh and the man’s arm disappearing back unto the steering wheel, made Sousuke snap back to his companion. 

Tired as he was, he had barely understood what Kyouraku had said, the ability to comprehend a second language caught up in the midst of near exhaustion. But it included something about getting some shut-eye... 

Yet Kyouraku’s good natured smile made Sousuke sink back into the passenger’s seat. Alright, yes, his body was grateful for the option to lean somewhat back.

And the radio’s channel being changed to a soothing melodic tone only aided Sousuke in drifting off even further.

\----

He woke up for what felt like a second later. The movements of the car had stopped, which had seemingly ripped him out of his cozy nest and a sliver of cold had managed to creep into the car.

Glancing beside him at Kyouraku, the lack of the other’s presence, made Sousuke straighten up.

Where was Kyouraku? Because the motor was still running, the radio was still playing on a low pitch and the headlights were still beaming fully unto the ground.

He tried to peer through the now opaque windows, yet even if he thought he saw something moving outside, his reflection, caused by the countless of lights on the dashboard, glared back at him. That might skew his perception.

Perhaps his chauffeur was taking a bathroom break?

He contemplated remaining clustered to his makeshift bed, because he could do with a few more hours of sleep. Yet on the other hand, his power nap had him feeling rejuvenated like he could even continue on foot.

Or maybe even set up camp on the side of the road. He didn’t necessarily have to sleep... Dingos or no dingos, he rather trusted his own research he had done before embarking on his journey.

Besides, he really didn’t want to burden Kyouraku any longer.

So he opened his passenger door and was immediately bombarded with the cold. The shrill contrast of the unfathomable heat during the day and the freezing winds now, made him practically pull the door back closed. 

He shouldn’t have stuffed his long-sleeved shirt in his backpack...

Going further on foot was definitely erased as an option. Although walking would have him in constant motion and thus the cold shouldn’t effect him as much. Plus it was just a matter of getting used to the stark differences in temperature. 

Whatever his decision was going to be, Sousuke was going to get his backpack first. Putting on some layers on his recurring tired muscles might change his mind quicker.

But before opening the trunk, he peeked around the corner of the pick up truck to check if he could see Kyouraku anywhere. Strange... Maybe the man had disappeared into the bushes to do his business.

Facing those bushes for a confirmation didn’t make him all that wiser. The headlights from the car only lightened up the first stretch of the greenery while the rest was swallowed up by a curtain of darkness. Wind was seemingly the only thing that swayed the bushes, no person to be seen.

He shrugged and turned back to trunk. The trunk had its own lighting system and that made it easier to browse through _the sea of bottles_ to find his backpack?

The sheer number of empty liquor bottles awakened a gnawing feeling of dread. As far as he could tell in Kyouraku’s company, the man hadn’t exactly seemed drunk. The smell of the liquor had been present since Kyouraku had taken a few gulps, but... he sure hadn’t seemed completely inebriated...

Didn’t matter anyways, because Sousuke’s decision was made: he was going forwards on foot!

He grabbed his backpack, but he instantly let it drop to the floor when something far worse than a bottle was revealed beneath his camping gear. 

A shotgun or a rifle, whatever would be the proper terminology, the presence of a weapon certainly made up his mind. He was going to sling his backpack over his shoulders and bolt, simple as that! 

Yet when something suddenly dug into the middle of his back he ceased all movement whatsoever.

“Curiosity killed the cat...” Kyouraku joked in a merry tone.

So that was where Kyouraku was...

Bend over as Sousuke still was, stuck in the process of grabbing his bag, he could still dart his eyes over to the trunk, where the weapon was still on full display. Meaning that Kyouraku probably had another gun on hand? After his findings, it really shouldn’t surprise him anymore...

Self defence classes had taught him how to react in such situations, yet one could never be experienced enough when it did actually happen. For one, his heart hammering in his chest had never been a part of the occasional session where weapons had formed the main subject. 

First things first would be to turn around and get that firearm wielding hand away from his person. Yet moving in itself became arduous when his limbs would barely cooperate. 

“Turn around.”

Alright, nerve-racking as it was, that was his cue to put his plan into action.

Sousuke therefore held out both hands in a sign of misleading submission while carefully straightening up and turning around. He would have expected to be confronted with the muzzle of the gun, yet it had been just Kyouraku’s fingers digging into his back? 

That knowledge momentarily lost him his courage, and then Kyouraku said, “Or so they say...” followed by a salacious wink that was anything but comforting, let alone attractive. 

The chortle of pure amusement made Sousuke simply mad with fury.

Kyouraku thought that was funny? Okay, that was the last straw, he needed to get away from the madman. Making it specifically clear with his expression that he didn’t share the same sentiment, Sousuke also simultaneously hoisted his bag over his shoulder.

Without another word, he was about to walk right passed Kyouraku, but the man’s big hand gripped unto his bicep. 

“Ey! Show me that smile of yours.” Kyouraku’s rural accent suddenly heavy on his tongue.

That poorly placed mirth made Sousuke come to the conclusion that the man must be beyond wasted. In no circumstances would a sensible human pull a prank like that.

He elbowed Kyouraku’s arm out of the way, determined on walking along the side of the road instead of spending it one minute more in the other’s company.

The actual sound of a gun clicking into place, or the safety pin making a sound did force him to turn back towards Kyouraku. He wasn’t familiar with guns, but that noise hadn’t been exactly reassuring. A bad omen. 

And this time, the actual rifle was pointing directly at his face.

The established distance between him and Kyouraku was now a disadvantage for Sousuke. It wasn’t far enough so that running could be considered. And disarming Kyouraku required some sort of proximity, now his only option would be to kick the rifle out of the other’s hand...

That is if he could be fast enough before it triggered Kyouraku into blasting his face off. 

It was the only alternative he had to simply sprinting off though.

Except maybe talking some sense into Kyouraku...which was also a safer option at the moment. Distract the man, so he could close their distance. “What...why...” But English suddenly became a liability and he stumbled over his words, trying to get any decent sentence out. And by the time he scraped his own common sense together, the gun went off.

Oh, how he had been wrong about the sound that the gun made before, because the noise from the shot went through bone and marrow, just like the actual bullet would. And yet Sousuke just completely shut down. And it took even longer to comprehend that Kyouraku had been pointing at something behind Sousuke. Which meant that it hadn’t impacted him whatsoever, except his hearing which seemed to be ringing...

He dared to breath once again, practically stuck with heaving in sheer panic, trying to get some air into his malfunctioning lungs.

Kyouraku’s tall build then passed by him, and Sousuke glanced back to see the other disappearing in the bushes behind him, while he was still trying to gasp for some breath... 

...Pure shock. He could have actually died here... But what hurt the most was his own defencelessness while having done jujutsu for the majority of his child- and teenage years. Which had made him presume himself to be near untouchable. Yet the reality of it had destroyed his pride beyond comprehension.

“That’s some bloody big dingo here.” The mangled head of an animal was practically shoved in his face. And Sousuke could only stomach the clear sight in the lights for a second or he turned away from the lack of any recognisable features on the animal when it was simply blown off... 

“Told you there were some dingos, boy.” Kyouraku continued to snicker, stuck in his own revolting amusement. He then shrugged out of his red checkered shirt, revealing a white tank top underneath that only pronounced Kyouraku’s hairy chest and muscled arms. Under normal circumstances Sousuke could have appreciated the sight, but now...

While the animal was haphazardly wrapped in the shirt, the rifle was put aside in the trunk, practically in hand reach for Sousuke. And it did have him thinking of reaching out for the weapon. Just as a self-defence...

He managed one shuffle forwards or Kyouraku looked his way, “Shame that its head had to be targeted, it won’t do for a stuffed animal now... It was such a beauty...”

Ceasing all movement once again, Sousuke made it seem like he was shifting his weight instead. All the while the rifle was just in his eyesight. He just had to urge his muscles into releasing his cramped posture... “Are you a hunter?” he questioned, trying to keep the madman talking. 

Kyouraku nodded and smiled. “Nothing beats a good chase.”

Adrenaline whirred through Sousuke’s body, making him practically retreat into himself, experiencing the sounds and surroundings seemingly from the background. Only the rifle was in full focus at that moment. 

When the rifle was then picked up again, by Kyouraku, it felt like his last chance just slipped away. And all that, just because he couldn’t make his body obey his mind... He had never felt so...out of control. 

It was like his whole fight or flight instinct just collapsed.

The only manner in which he could be encouraged to move, was when Kyouraku nudged him. “Get back in the car.”

While he was automatically guided to the driver’s car door, he still stammered out, “I...I’m going further on foot.”

“Nonsense.” Kyouraku said and opened the door, all the while going on about the danger of dingos.

While the real danger was Kyouraku himself.

Being pushed behind the steering wheel made Sousuke contemplate driving off, Kyouraku was only just trying to squeeze in next to him. The motions of the car would force the madman out, at least if he managed to accelerate to the rightful speed in order to fling a clinging Kyouraku out.

Yet his incapacitating frustration, fear and fury delayed his normal reaction capacity.

His night blindness would catch up either way, how long or how far would he even be able to steer the vehicle before his failing vision got him in even bigger trouble...

The rifle was not even put in hand reach this time, unless he physically took Kyouraku out, he wouldn’t be able to get to the firearm.

But Sousuke already had a next plan, the first vehicle they would encounter would have him jumping out of Kyouraku’s truck. He was already foreseeing the action now so when the time finally arrived, he would be ready.

He was simultaneously also reaching into his back-back, on the lookout for his phone. He would be sending his location to his parents and his only friend, Tousen. And although his self dependence despised relying on another, his pride was the last thing he needed to worry about. 

Curse his bragging mentality that desired nothing more than to prove his worth to strangers that didn’t matter... He should have gone to kangaroo Island in Adelaide instead of seeking adventure... 

His search took a lot longer when it seemed like he couldn’t get a hold of his phone. So he took out a few of the cooking supplies and some of his clothes, trying to make some room in order to check thoroughly. Which made him come to the dreaded conclusion that not only was his phone missing, but his wallet as well...

He glanced at Kyouraku whom immediately threw him one of those cheeky winks.

The bastard.

His travel documents, passport, permits, money,... all gone.

Since when were they gone and why had Kyouraku done that? Was this a joke again?

Then a flickering neon sign sprang out of the darkness like a light at the end of the tunnel. The wavering screen honed in quickly, so before his malfunctioning reaction capacity could ruin his last escape, and the vehicle just passed by his only hope, Sousuke finally just acted. Without much thought, he threw his backpack at Kyouraku and then jumped out of the driving car.

He would be able to break his fall. Yet the speed of the pick-up truck had him rolling a few times. Small punctures and lacerations from the debris and grit be dammed, the vehicle screeching to a halt had him springing back up in an instant.

He ran to the sign that said, ‘Rabb t Fl t, ro d House’.

Everything except the sign was dark, which could have betrayed its abandoned state. The two fuel dispensers looked already worse for wear. The nozzles and hoses ripped off. And the small stopping house itself was devoid of any windows.

It didn’t matter, because he needed a place to hide. He was afraid to look back but he had heard the car door closing, so he could swear that Kyouraku was hot on his tail.

Oh but he was listening, through the rush of his thudding heart, Sousuke feared only one sound; the noise of the gun going off again. Was Kyouraku crazy enough to shoot him? The man had only but scared him and hadn’t used the gun on him yet.

But he wasn’t about to wait until Kyouraku snapped either.

The stopping house was empty, had to have been empty for years, because glass and rubble crushed and cracked loudly beneath his shoes. The neon sign illuminated a part of the room; counters, tables and chairs were overturned, and metal and electric wiring seemed to be scrapped, since parts of it could be found hanging off of the ceiling or laying on the floor...

He hid behind one of the counters, near a window so he could still jump out and into the bushes. Breath heaving once again, he clamped a hand over his mouth to ensure he wasn’t making any noise.

All the while he was contemplating if this had been the best escape route, yet running into the bushes when the greenery wasn’t tall enough to cover him would have made him a target for Kyouraku either way.

Another set of footsteps entering the place had Sousuke willing to keep his body from shivering. Not from the cold, even though his bare legs were freezing. Trepidation and anxiety had him trembling...

He could see a glimpse of Kyouraku’s silhouette moving passed the counters he was kneeling behind, so throughout Kyouraku’s trudge of footsteps through the rubble, Sousuke felt around to grasp something in hand. Anything that could distract Kyouraku once more on his next flee. 

“I like that, you’re in for some games. Hide and seek has to be one of my favourites...followed by tag.”

Kyouraku’s amusing tone evoked a spasm alongside his shivers that had Sousuke almost dropping his choice of distraction... 

Nothing could have made his anxiety worse at that point, and then a flashlight brightened up the place...

How many more times did his courage have to drop down?

The flashlight’s cold glare was cast into every direction, a search that wouldn’t last long when the room wasn’t exactly big in the first place.

And then the footsteps along with the bright beam stopped.

“Peek-a-boo! You’re it!”

Sousuke’s shadow lit up on the wall like a headlight and although he couldn’t see Kyouraku physically, the man knew where he was. This was surely the end, he could only run...

Which he did. Dropping his spectacular distraction uselessly on the ground, he concentrated on climbing out of the window. The jump from the ledge had his ankles protesting the miscalculated height with a flare of pain that shot through his legs. But he just started running as fast as he could once his feet hit the ground, right into the dark bushes.

He nicked and scraped his hands and legs while he plowed straight through the foreign foliage. But that would be major damage control, in fact he also rather preferred poisonous snakes and dingos over the madman with a gun.

Wind and adrenaline rushed through him, making himself ready to just drop down at a certainpoint so he could hide behind one of the bushes.

Which he did, forcedly.

The sound of the gunshot rang in his ears, and then Sousuke stumbled. He seemed to have fallen into an empty spot without any coverage, so he tried to straighten back up, but then a hot burst of agony shot through the back of his left thigh... 

He scrambled to feel, yet the gushing liquid against his palm told him everything. 

The bastard had shot him!! 

He let out a tormented cry of anguish, a delayed reaction... Yet when he tried to crawl, his nerves fired off a stabbing pain. No! He refused to be treated like a hunted animal. His arms shook violently as he tried to drag himself up, willing himself to scoot over into a covered area. 

Was this his end? Shot in the middle of nowhere, while being chased by a madman...

Clamping a shivering palm over his wet wound, he tried to create some pressure, despite the pain it brought. 

He heard Kyouraku approaching and how much he would have even desired to be completely still. The burning pain had him gasping... 

The flashlight blinded his sight before he heard that irritable amusement, “Ah I caught another beauty!”

“No...No!” Sousuke’s speech faltered completely and all that he could get passed his lips was a mantra of pleas. He didn’t want to die...

“No drama.” Kyouraku shushed amicably before reaching for him. 

Sousuke kicked out with his good leg at the incoming hand, yet his ankle was grabbed so easily by Kyouraku, it was practically laughable. The man then dragged him closer, which shot another flare of pain through his wounded leg.

The glimpse of zip ties made him try to wrench and punch the fasteners out of the other’s hand. Anything to prevent from being tied.

But just one nudge with the butt of the gun into his wounded thigh, brutally eliminated all strength from him. He cried out as his punches and kicks grew weak, and he desperately introduced his nails as a weapon. A last resort. 

Yet Kyouraku’s tall muscular frame didn’t give...

Being forced unto his stomach brought about enough jostling through his thigh so that Sousuke relented his struggles. His failed attempts weren’t worth the pain. His adrenaline practically drained from his body by then...

And the sound and feeling of the zip tie closing tightly around his wrists only solidified his surrender.

When the noise of fabric tearing resounded, Sousuke would have mistaken it for another one of those zip ties again, but then his thigh was wrapped. 

Sousuke grit his teeth at the rough manhandling, but Kyouraku was scarily gentle...

...That he dared to even bring that to mind...the constant burning agony must be making him delusional...

And yet when he was next hoisted into Kyouraku’s arms, carried bridal style, Kyouraku’s hand on the back of his wounded thigh was the pressure he seemingly needed. Throughout the track back to the car, Sousuke did still strain that leg in an attempt to lessen any abrupt movements. 

The cold, the pangs of pain and exhaustion seemed to add to his delusion, because Kyouraku was not only gentle but surprisingly warm as well.

Maybe he was slowly sinking into shock... He could feel himself getting lightheaded, numbing his thought process and the receptors in his brain responsible for his reaction to all that suffering.

Or maybe it was just his shoulders being locked in that weird angle because of his fastened wrists, he must be cutting off oxygen to his brain in some form. All he could do was hang limply in his hunter’s arms...

The sight of the red pickup truck luckily reintroduced coherence towards his torment. It was like he was suddenly reminded of the sheer terror.

Especially because he was carried over to the trunk...

He was put down, and the weight of leaning back unto his wounded leg had him practically caving in. He sacked uncomfortably on his right side, his good side, while trying to prevent any sort of support on his left side.

The car was his greatest aid in keeping himself upright. Running was definitely no longer an option, and limping around wouldn’t get him much further either.

Besides, if Kyouraku did decide to stuff him in the trunk, he could still attempt an escape with the help of one of those bottles. Shards of glass should be able to cut through the zip tie or he should at least be able to pick at the lock.

No sooner had that crossed his mind or Kyouraku was clearing away the bottles...

The rifle was dangling off of a strap, hanging from Kyouraku’s shoulders, in plain hand reach again... That was, if he could have made use of his hands... But even if he had had access, he still couldn’t have slid the weapon off without a fight.

And with his thigh protesting every form of weight on it, the struggle wouldn’t be a fair match to begin with.

Kyouraku’s arms encircled his waist and the inappropriateness of it made Sousuke try to wrench himself out of that hold. But he was actually being lifted into the...No!

His former elation of possibly finding an escape from his bindings, was gone, with the bottles out of the trunk, there was no way that he wanted to be confined inside a tiny space along with a dead animal!!

He renewed his struggles, trying to worm his way out of the bastard’s hold, yet Kyouraku’s patience wore thin as well and the man just dumped him none too gently in the trunk.

The angle itself hurt his shoulders again and the shock of being dropped travelled through his left leg...

But with the darkness enclosing, Sousuke still kicked out with his right leg at the lid of the trunk. And continued even when he was locked up.

He simultaneously tried to rip that zip tie off, yet it only sawed into his wrists... 

Arghh!!!!

He screamed and cried out, trying in vain to draw attention to the situation he was dropped in, but the only reaction he received was the pick up truck revving to life. The rocking motions of the car a lot more palpable and even more disorientating. 

Granted, he wouldn’t have been able to visibly see the directions either way when it was dark outside, but he would at least have had a sense of time. Now, he could only estimate the duration of the ride.

It also got him thinking on the fact that his parents wouldn’t be expecting any message from him anytime soon. Camping and hitchhiking would have made the road trip along Tanami road last about two weeks. He had calculated his breaks and admiration of nature into his adventure. Especially since he hadn’t been certain of the possibility of having reception at all...

So in actuality, they wouldn’t even be missing him... 

The notion invigorated him enough to kick out again.

Yet it was a long road, his voice got hoarse from screaming, his wrists ached with the way he had been trying to rip free from his confines, and his kicks... He never was under the impression that he could actually break Kyouraku’s monster truck with mere human strength...

He fell into that lightheaded state again, sinking away into the rocky motions, until the road’s state transformed into a bumpy ride. Sharp turns accompanied the new driving style, making Sousuke fling unto the rigid dead animal next to him.

A new direction instead of the seemingly perfect straight road with barely any curve whatsoever? It drove away his near unconsciousness and made him vigilant once again.

Or was this another one of Kyouraku’s tricks, meant to disorientate Sousuke?

But then the car stopped.

The slamming of the car door and Kyouraku’s footsteps were loud and clear, making Sousuke tense up and position himself to kick out again as soon as the trunk was opened.

Yet the first thing he registered was a brightness that he hadn’t expected. The fact that it was dawn, and the first rays of sun snuck up behind Kyouraku, reminded Sousuke that it should have been a sight he should have been able to appreciate as a free man. 

Which motivated him to kick out almost immediately. 

He had managed to fend off Kyouraku’s grabs a few times successfully, but he just couldn’t worm his way out of the trunk on his own. Eventually, Kyouraku got a hold of him anyways.

His surroundings would be a key feature when he managed to get loose, so he took it all in. Sadly from what he could spot, there only seemed to be one house, likely Kyouraku’s, but they were walking in the direction of the shed in the backyard?

Aside from that, the same sort of landscape that he had grown accustomed to, was seen in every direction.

He struggled and hoarsely yelled out again, but Kyouraku just smirked. That irritating, conceiting smile said it all; he was trapped and they were alone. 

It was a toolshed. Big enough to fit in a metallic workbench that Sousuke was dropped unto on his stomach.

The lights flickered on, revealing the horror of his new room: the drain channel in the middle of the floor, the spatters of blood on the walls, the hose...

Kyouraku then rolled a mobile toolbox over while Sousuke was in the midst of squirming off of the bench. The scalpel stood out alongside the normal tools. Yet the hammer, saw and other tools weren’t exactly reassuring in this context either.

When he felt something slipping around his left ankle, securing his leg, he became aware of the four sets of straps that were fastened to the surface...

But with his wounded leg trapped, his yanking shot aching tremors up into his thigh... And his right ankle was secured not much later.

When Kyouraku picked up a set of pliers, he started screaming, yet the only thing that was cut was the zip tie.

His wrists had fiery red lacerations imprinted into his skin. Unfortunately though, the relief of his freed wrists was short-lived when Kyouraku set out to strap them down. And as much as Sousuke punched out, there really was no escaping from the inevitable.

He was secured unto the table and going into his last minutes...

A face mask honing in had him turning his head in every direction. The gas passing through it, the tube’s connection to an unseeable machine, the noise of the gas,...

It had to have been a sedation, because the second it secured around his mouth and nose, his lightheadedness returned tenfold. His awareness slipped away, visibly, and although his last vision of Kyouraku preparing several tools was unsettling, the fact that his perception was taken away was sort of a comfort as well...

\----

When he woke up he was extremely nauseous and naked?! The bandage around his thigh the only sort of fabric on his body. 

He was lying on something soft though, a mattress apparently and he was no longer kept in the shed, but a normal, albeit empty room. There were no windows and except his mattress, a chamber pot of some sort seemed to be present.

There were two doors as well and one of them probably let to his freedom...

He straightened up, or tried at least. Because his nausea and the pain shooting through his thigh had him sinking down again in an instant. But the chain that had clanked along to his movements had his panic resurfacing.

The metal collar around his neck weighted heavily on his collarbone.

He had been chained like a dog?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: **Happy Halloween!!!!!** Halloween has never been a big thing in my country, sadly, so I envy the countless of decorations in the places where they do celebrate it! I can satisfy my awe for all decorations by watching vlogs on youtube though! 


	3. An eye for an eye

**Chapter three: An eye for an eye**

Sousuke was yanking at the chain that was attached to the metal hoop cemented into the wall, trying in vain to elongate the stretch he could reach. The collar wouldn’t give under human strength so he rather focused on the chain itself.

One of the doors had to lead to his freedom!

After waking up and finding out where he was being kept, he hadn’t done much except straining the chain as far as it could. Just to see how far it actually reached.

Unfortunately, moving or getting up had been an endeavour in itself. The aftermath of the anaesthesia swayed his vision as well as influenced his sheer exhaustion. And his left thigh had been throbbing with excruciating jabs of pain... 

It had made him drop down just as fast. And he had automatically eased into a second slumber.

Sousuke didn’t know how long he had actually fallen asleep for, but it was anything but sufficient to recover. He still felt groggy and the pain in his thigh lingered with every now and then, agonising stabs cramping up his whole leg...

But if he wanted to get out alive, he needed to start gathering his courage and determination.

The metal hoop didn’t budge though, so he took the chamber pot that Kyouraku had left him with and crashed the ceramic bowl into pieces. He then ripped a part of his blanket so he could wrap it around his hand before trying to saw through the chain with one of the shards. 

Yet the only thing it cut through was the ceramic itself, the fabric wrapped around his hand and eventually his palm as well...

The piece of blanket had to be transformed into a makeshift bandage instead.

And then he heard someone approaching.

Sousuke wanted to get up as fast as possible, make himself ready to face his personal hell, but then the twinges of pain acted up. He had to twist himself back into a comfortable position, and simultaneously cover his nudeness with the blanket. Even though Kyouraku had long since seen him naked...

As he was repositioning, his hand encountered one of the ceramic shards, which he held tightly in his wrapped fist. 

It could only be Kyouraku, and it was. The man entered through one of the doors, sporting a bright beaming smile as if to goad him. 

Kyouraku was wearing the same sort of clothes as when Sousuke met him, the shirt just had a blue- greyish colour and a different pattern. Gone was the cowboy hat, but Kyouraku’s hair was still fastened into a ponytail.

“How are you doing?”

The audacity of Kyouraku to simply ask him that...

Sousuke would have preferred to remain quiet, but that impudence just infuriated him.

“Perhaps you should give me a weapon and you’ll find out soon enough.” he suggested.

Instead of answering, Kyouraku stepped a little closer, and the shards scattered around Sousuke were suddenly noticed. “You’re going to hurt yourself.” Kyouraku scolded amicably and that was just the last straw.

The hypocrisy...

He still had the shard in hand, so when Kyouraku concentrated on clearing the mess, Sousuke lashed out. No longer caring that his blanket uncovered everything. It had been his intention to strike a vital point in Kyouraku’s neck, but the man became aware at the last second. And when Sousuke was grabbed in response, he had to divert his aim in the blink of an eye, because his arms were targeted immediately. 

The eyes were the window of the soul, but Kyouraku’s soul hadn’t exactly been a clear view from the start. So what better way than to return Kyouraku’s irony with a sneer of his own. He managed to slash into one of Kyouraku’s eyes, or so he thought.

Because his captor recoiled back, palm covering his injured eye. And blood was leaking through Kyouraku’s fingers, before he then rushed to the other door.

Sousuke quickly wrapped the blanket back around him.

Wait...the second door lead to a bathroom? Then why had Sousuke been stuck with the chamber pot? Just pure humiliation?! 

It enraged him!

Not that the chain would even allow him to get remotely close to that door though...

Kyouraku then trudged back towards him, a cloth of toilet paper dabbing along the angry red lines that welled up with blood quickly. The slash ran from the man’s temple to his tear duct, and the eye itself seemed to be squinting when not tightly shut. 

Nothing life threatening, unfortunately.

“I’m not going to harm you.” Kyouraku reassured with his free hand.

Sousuke shook his head and turned away from the despicable treacherous sight.

Kyouraku’s tone had been as comforting and friendly natured as when he met the man. But after all the things that had happened, Sousuke knew better.

A groan had Sousuke glancing back at his captor though and Kyouraku was once again squeezing his eye shut. And were those tears? 

“You got me good, almost as good as when part of my ear got cut off.” Kyouraku gestured at his ear where indeed a part of the top half was gone. The hat had likely covered that up... 

Served him well... “A souvenir from your last hostage I hope.” 

Kyouraku luckily remained at a distance this time, but the man leaned against the wall entirely out of sight, so Sousuke repositioned to keep an eye on Kyouraku. It was actually better to guard his back when a retaliation could still be a possibility. Which was why he still clutched the ceramic shard in his fist, like a lifeline. “No, a souvenir from my deployments in enemy territory.” Kyouraku answered while peering explicitly with the teary eye.

Had he managed to strike his eye after all? Sousuke couldn’t help the tiny smirk at that triumphant, even though he jolted when another jab of agony travelled through his thigh.

Which didn’t go unnoticed by Kyouraku. “An eye for an eye, huh? We’re even now?”

That ridiculous humour that was anything but humorous...

“Not by far. Give me that gun and we’ll make it even.” He said, while Kyouraku snorted. It would no longer be funny if he did get that weapon in hand... 

“You would have shot my face off in such close proximity.” 

Yes well, maybe that would have been his intention anyways...

Actually, why even bother to humour the man? Negotiating might get him further than revenge. At least Kyouraku wasn’t brandishing the gun, as far as he could tell. Besides, even if he did manage to kill Kyouraku, how was he possibly going to free himself from the metal contraption around his neck? “I don’t know what you think you’ll get from me. Despite what it looks like, I’m not a rich kid, asking for ransom won’t make you a millionaire.” 

Kyouraku straight out laughed, a deep belly sound that was easy on the ears. That was, if he wasn’t currently held captive by the man...

“I’m not looking for money, why would I get rid of you after all that trouble?” That would have sounded satisfying if it wasn’t backed up by the sinister, “No, you’re mine now.” and the neutral facial expression that accompanied the possessive claim was maybe even worse than a creepy smirk.

It was almost as if Kyouraku was so far gone that he didn’t even register his utter senselessness. 

How many victims had suffered this sort of fate and the madman was still running around?... But his own fate was far more important, he was next. It was fruitless, he was done for. His helplessness suddenly sparked a bout of fear through him. “Yo... you’re going to let me waste away here?”

Kyouraku tutted reprovingly. “I told you, I’m going to take care of you.”

He suddenly couldn’t breathe anymore...

Kyouraku wasn’t even planning on ending it, the mere thought that Sousuke was just meant to be locked up as Kyouraku’s possession was devastating. He would never be able to see the world, never be able to return to uni,... 

He was heaving, desperately trying to get some air into his lungs. Yet he had enough strength in him to strike out when Kyouraku approached him.

This time, Kyouraku was prepared and the shard of ceramic was easily dismantled out of his hold. If only his lungs and thigh weren’t protesting against it all...

It didn’t matter because he had plenty of pieces lying around. But Kyouraku backed off anyways and covered up his eye again. His captor then slinked back out of the room.

Bastard!!

The second Sousuke could inhale normally, albeit painfully, he screamed out his frustration. And he just as fast recommenced his pulling on that metal loop and the chain. Fervently, hysterically, trying to rip his damn shackles off! 

...

And all he accomplished was making himself tired. Or exerting himself to the point where his thigh’s vengeful jabs wiped him entirely out... 

He had been so... ignorant and inexperienced on his trip. He was cursing himself out, trying to understand from which point he should have ditched the madman. 

Hours went by, or that was what it felt like. He was completely disorientated, no sense of time or which day it even was...

And as if he wasn’t miserable enough yet, his body’s needs popped up. The one to empty his bladder was an uncomfortable persistent reminder while his hunger and thirst were just beginning to join in on worsening his wretched state.

He saw Kyouraku only briefly. As if the man was aware of his needs, the bastard came down to bring him another one of those chamber pots. This one a metallic material that could also be considered a dog bowl...

Disgusting...

Sousuke didn’t even acknowledge Kyouraku, he was too worn out to even say anything.

-0-

Sousuke hadn’t even managed to fall into another deep slumber, he only achieved to close his eyes in some sort of rest where he was still vigilant. It also wasn’t just his thigh that was riddled with cramps, but his abdomen as well. 

He refused to go on the pot though! He was not an animal!

When Kyouraku returned, Sousuke was determined to keep on ignoring the man, yet then Kyouraku dragged an armchair into the room before disappearing once again. The door was left open and it seemed like there was only a staircase in the hallway leading up. Which meant that he was probably in a basement... 

Kyouraku reappeared after a while, glad in his usual style accompanied with a coat/long cardigan. He apparently had also brought his gun, a glass and a bottle of liquor. The glass and the bottle were put aside on the armrest of the chair while Kyouraku intimidatingly leered his way. The gun was then aimed at Sousuke, which made Sousuke instantly straighten up again.

Frightened beyond believe, heart racing into his throat, he barely even dared to breathe as he was once more looking into the muzzle of danger.

“Get rid of the shards. Almost took my bloody eye out,” Kyouraku ordered with a nudge of the gun and without any hesitation Sousuke simply threw his lifeline out. His life was literally on the line right now, he was all too aware of the fact that the madman would shoot him in a heartbeat. Especially now that he could clearly smell the alcohol on Kyouraku. “I still can’t see properly...” Kyouraku muttered while brushing the ceramic shards out of hand reach with his foot. 

There went his only weapon. Teeny tiny pieces might be missed, but it wouldn’t exactly suffice as a great defensive weapon either. 

“Show everything.”

Sousuke raised both hands, opening his palms for proof, but Kyouraku gestured with the gun once again. 

“Off with the blanket.” The suave smirk that appeared made Sousuke furiously slip the blanket off. As if he hadn’t bared it all yet... whatever... he wouldn’t be humiliated by the man. In fact, he straightened proudly up and kept determinedly staring into Kyouraku’s eyes. 

Kyouraku responded with a whistle before tipping his cowboy hat back, “A beauty indeed.” which quickened Sousuke’s heartbeat, solely because of the provocation though.

And yet as he felt Kyouraku’s eyes taking him in, Sousuke couldn’t help but shift under the weight of that gaze. Kyouraku then stepped back and promptly say himself down, his left foot propped up on his right knee, merely watching Sousuke. Al the while pouring himself a glass of liquor.

Sousuke could have rewrapped himself, but somehow his own stubborn nature didn’t want his discomfort to come across. Kyouraku’s intriguing gaze had kept him surprisingly warm anyways.

Argh!... Kyouraku was just...maddening!! Had there ever been a man who had ever managed to evoke such raging emotions out of him? Oh yes, actually there had been one other man... His ex...friend, Urahara could be just as infuriating. 

“How are you doing?” The liquor in the glass was swirled around while Kyouraku slouched further into the seat, making himself at home.

But Kyouraku took the cake, by far.

If Kyouraku wanted to have a decent conversation, it was time that the man started acting decent...

And normally, Sousuke wouldn’t let himself be provoked into indecency, but after everything, he just thought, fuck it. He gestured that exactly with his middle finger, a universal sign that said it all. 

Yet Kyouraku just chuckled, sipped from his glass and savoured his drink for a full minute. Which had Sousuke unconsciously licking his dry lips, oh what he wouldn’t give for any water right now.

“That is exactly what I had in mind...”

But Kyouraku’s answer immediately erased the necessity of his parched throat. What?!

The leering gaze took over a whole other undertone...

Would he be forced to please... 

Kyouraku stood up and Sousuke scooted back, scrambling for the blanket that he now definitely needed as coverage. The fabric lessened the severity of the ice-cold chill that went through his body. 

But Kyouraku just took the chamber pot and gestured with the empty bowl.

...

He turned up his nose at the mere insinuation. “I’m not a dog, I’m not going to be living next to my own filth.”

Kyouraku shrugged and put the bowl back in place. “You must be bursting then.”

He was actually, but in no way shape of form would he give Kyouraku the satisfaction in making him uncomfortable. He was not a possession, nor was he Kyouraku’s toy.

When those rusty old pliers reemerged from Kyouraku’s pocket, Sousuke was wary of the man’s intentions when Kyouraku approached him. But his chain was targeted instead and being cut free from the metal hoop in the wall.

Ah, so that was how he could get that chain loose...

With a yank on the chain Sousuke was then urged to stand up. The pain that propelled through his thigh as he supported himself made him limp after Kyouraku when he was lead towards the bathroom.

Which surprised Sousuke. His stubborn nature was all it took to make Kyouraku give in? Perhaps if he played it smart, he would get a chance in taking those pliers...

Once there, he waited for Kyouraku to let go of the chain, but no, the man remained standing next to him. Voyeuristic tendencies or a form of humiliation? 

“I’m not going to the bathroom as long as you’re present.” he said, but Kyouraku just nodded at the toilet. 

Were his sentiments that hard to grasp for the madman? 

“Quit the drama,” Kyouraku then physically pulled him towards the toilet, making Sousuke practically stumble as his thigh protested. “there’s no shame in taking care of a loved one. I had to take care of my husband in his last months, completely bedridden as he was, I had to do everything. Because that’s what you do for love, in sickness and in health.” 

He couldn’t really imagine Kyouraku lovingly taking care of someone. Or he at least vehemently wanted to deny that claim. Even though the picture in the car and in the keychain told him differently.

No! 

Sousuke ripped his arm free and fervently made it clear that, “I am not yours!”

Kyouraku’s hand reached for him again. But Sousuke struck back and blocked the deviant possessive manner in which Kyouraku wanted to control him.

The blanket slipped off when he had managed to sling the chain around Kyouraku’s grabby limb, but Kyouraku’s other hand was quick to spring in action as well. And then Kyouraku added his weight as tactic and Sousuke’s back hit the wall when he already practically collapsed once he put any support on his left thigh. He was driven unto a corner so he hardly had any room to defend himself. 

Yet his feet were still free and he would have tackled that large frame hadn’t the collar suddenly tightened dangerously, practically cutting off his windpipe.

“No drama, I told ya.” Kyouraku warned. Sweet alcohol wafted off of the man every time Kyouraku so much as breathed into his face. The eye with the red lined scaring slightly tearing... 

The collar loosened seconds after and although Sousuke wasn’t ready to loosen his own grip in Kyouraku’s flesh, Kyouraku still stepped back and motioned once again.

Was the man serious?!!!

“I’m not letting you dehumanise me.”

“This is anything but dehumanising. I’m taking care of you.”

Sousuke snorted. Taking care of him? Kyouraku had an odd perception of attending to other human beings. But since the man enjoyed killing animals for sport, he really shouldn’t be surprised.

“You are insane.” he attested with a breath of finality.

Sousuke had been called insane on occasions by Urahara. As much as they had agreed on a lot of things, they had also disagreed fervently. Yet Urahara had avoided confrontation, preferring to walk away instead of engaging him. Which made him only mad for a lack of a better word. So yes, he had gone off on Urahara in a manner where the term crazy could be applied.

And while he immensely regretted that their physical agreement had never developed into something serious. The truth was that Urahara couldn’t have handled him anyways. 

His wishes were law after all. Something that Kyouraku will soon find out as well. 

And yet, as much as he wanted to avoid the despicable display of himself giving in to Kyouraku. He really had to...go. If only to ease the pain in his abdomen.

When Kyouraku kept silently observing him, Sousuke snapped, “At least turn around!”

Kyouraku just shook his head. “I’ll give you space, that’s about it.”

He could stubbornly decline the offer, but what was left was the chamber pot, which was actually beginning to look like a great alternative...

But as he said before, he wasn’t keen on living next to his own filth. So, while avoiding any sort of eye-contact, Sousuke used the toilet anyways, regardless of his sentiments. 

And as much as Kyouraku had it stuck inside of his thick head that this was the epitome of taking care of someone, it felt nothing short of dehumanising. 

He could practically cry at the invasion of his privacy.

Afterwards Sousuke limped over to the sink, steadfastly still avoiding Kyouraku’s gaze through the mirror. The running water enhanced a different need of his and he cupped a bit of the liquid to drink, yet his lips couldn’t even touch the water as he was pulled back by the shoulder. 

He shrugged off Kyouraku’s large palm, even though the man warned, “Water comes from the well,” he then gestured somewhere in the back. “you city boy aren’t used to anything, it’s probably going to make you sick.” 

The tab water was normally drinkable in Australia, as far as his own research went. But of course, Kyouraku lived in the middle of nowhere...

Should he risk it? Yet if that guaranteed countless of trips to the bathroom and that with an audience... He let the water slip from his fingers and down the drain.

“You can brush your teeth though, just spit out the water.”

Marvellous advice... Though his dry mouth wouldn’t exactly shirk that guidance. And the prospect of a taste of water made him brush his teeth. He felt more like a child that was being lead through the process of bathroom guidelines instead of experiencing a lover’s caring nature. 

It took a lot of self-restraint to ignore the fact that he was parched and simply spit it out, he rather swallowed in normal circumstances... The cold refreshing water felt heavenly, he could have gulped it down, including the toothpaste...

He couldn’t help but wonder though if Kyouraku was going to own up to his promise and actually provide him with food and drinks. 

But first, since he was already in the bathroom, he decided on a shower as well. To wash away the sweltering heat and the grime of the hours, days?...

Sousuke glanced back at Kyouraku, who was still watching him. Albeit those eyes flickered back up to meet his gaze. It dawned that in actuality, he was practically flaunting himself. 

The blanket still laid there, just a piece of fabric ruffled on the ground. And Sousuke hadn’t even minded the lack of coverage. And the shower really shouldn’t bring forth any unpleasant vibes anyways, it would be the same as sharing a communal shower in a swimming pool/locker room. 

Yet Kyouraku’s voyeuristic gaze was burning into him, Sousuke could practically feel it going over his body... And when their eyes locked, he couldn’t help but turning his head, provocatively breaking off that smouldering leer.

He turned specifically around, back towards Kyouraku, which was both exhilarating and frightening at the same time.

But Kyouraku would be busy ogling him now, not trying to murder him.

And that gave Sousuke ample time to come up with a plan. The man, like so many of their gender, was apparently weak when confronted with a little bit of skin. In a manner, sex was one of the most powerful weapons there was. Easy to fool a man. 

He would be lying if he said this would be the first time he had used sex to his advantage, getting his way, had often involved seduction with his ex...partner.

And instead of cowering away in the corner or waiting on an opportunity that would never come, he better used Kyouraku’s own game against him. 

He glanced back over his shoulder and felt practically delighted when Kyouraku was rubbing his teary eye.

He would get those pliers in hand, one way or another.

After the shower, he was lead back to his mattress, still dripping wet. While Kyouraku was bending his shackles around the metal hoop. And although Sousuke had a fresh plan in the back of his mind, the thought of wrestling the pliers out of the other’s hand, still lingered.

His eyes followed the rusty object all the way back into Kyouraku’s pocket. And only when Kyouraku announced that he was going to get him a towel, could Sousuke get rid of the thought.

Kyouraku needed to be sufficiently distracted after all, before he would attempt something like that.

The door was kept open again, teasing him with pure freedom and burdening him with the cold that crept in. Was it night perhaps? Ot could it be the ventilation of the air-conditioning?

But there was another object that caught his attention. The gun laid on the armchair...

Glancing at the stairs to make sure Kyouraku wasn’t reappearing, Sousuke straightened up and limped over to the chair. The chain stretched to its maximum capacity, and he wasn’t even close and when he reached out with one of his arms, his fingers were just short of reaching the muzzle...

A calculated distance by the bastard! Kyouraku wasn’t as foolish as he portrayed himself as... 

The sound of a busy Kyouraku made him limp frustratingly back unto the mattress. Which was for the best, because the man returned not soon after.

And in true Kyouraku caregiver style, his captor was set on towelling him dry. The fabric was wrapped around him to which Kyouraku’s hands traveled up his chest, shoulders and arms. Strong squeezes that were actually somewhat relieving on his tense muscles.

Their proximity still made Sousuke stiffen up though, but the massaging touches helped. It wouldn’t do to blow his cover or instantly crawl around like a vixen, his plan needed to be credible after all.

So he kept his gaze averted from Kyouraku’s, the man’s eyes were roaming him once more anyways. And since it was starting to become harder to convince himself that those grabs were anything but pleasing, the easy access to the pliers reemerged into his mind.

Because he could in fact simply reach into Kyouraku’s pocket and pull out the tool. He reached up towards Kyouraku’s cardigan, but when he couldn’t even feel the weight of an object through the outside, it dawned that Kyouraku must have left them upstairs.

The towelling at his stomach ceased and Sousuke looked up to come in contact with Kyouraku’s curious gaze. Well his hand was still positioned awkwardly mid reach...so Sousuke gripped unto the cardigan. Demurely clutching at Kyouraku. Which served as some sort of support, because the man’s grabby touches didn’t exactly keep him grounded. 

Kyouraku gave him wink, or so Sousuke presumed, but when it was the teary right eye and he then began rubbing his eye again, forgoing the towelling, Sousuke repositioned his clutch unto Kyouraku’s wrist instead.

“Let me see.” he said and slightly pulled on Kyouraku’s wrist to inspect the eye. Kyouraku allowed him but kept his arm positioned in such a way that he could intervene when necessary. 

The eye, now barely able to keep opened for more than a few seconds, seemed to be lighter in colour though, or maybe that was the flimsy sheen covering it...

“Can you see?”

“It’s all a little blurry...” Kyouraku admitted.

Good, he thought. How did the saying go? Payback was a...

But instead of putting those words into action, he carefully caressed a thumb under the eye, wiping away some of those tears.

“Turn around.” Kyouraku murmured. And through it all, Sousuke would have almost forgotten the shackles, yet when he did turn his back to Kyouraku and they clanked loudly, that was more than the reminder he needed at that moment.

His back had dried for the most part, so the touches had transformed in a full blown massage. Kyouraku’s big palms were definitely good for something. And throughout his games it was important to remember that he was also allowed to enjoy himself. Just as long as he kept his end goal in mind.

Which shouldn’t be that hard, throughout his games with Urahara, he had managed to end Urahara’s future career as a lawyer. His ex...friend got suspended and then entirely prohibited from entering again, plagiarism was not tolerated after all. 

The ultimate revenge.

Urahara did apply to another university and got to do his dream major of biochemical engineering... which had maybe been Sousuke’s decisive for a gap year...but he certainly wouldn’t let Kyouraku run away unscathed like that.

The towel had reached his ass. Kyouraku’s squeezes didn’t let up, in fact bare fingers were digging into his flesh, applying the right pressure. Sousuke would have lied if he said that it hadn’t evoked a couple of pleasurable sighs from him. 

And when those hands then traveled to his front, the towel was barely even used anymore. The caress against his cock, made Sousuke automatically lean back in Kyouraku’s embrace while his hips canted eagerly up towards that warm touch.

Yes, this was nice. And it made his game all that easier...

“Ah!” Until such an excruciating jab travelled through his thigh, that he almost collapsed, if he hadn’t been held by Kyouraku.

“You should still rest.” Kyouraku murmured into his neck, before the man slowly eased him down unto the mattress.

It ignited the fury within Sousuke. His thigh was not going to thwart his plans!

A couple of fondling touches were not making him even remotely sorry for Kyouraku. Kyouraku fucked with the wrong man, he was going to pay.

Kyouraku then seemed set on leaving him, since the man was gathering his stuff, but this was not the progress that Sousuke had been hoping on. “Stay.” he said and motioned at the armchair. “Please.”

After a habitual rub of the eye, Kyouraku put everything down again, before seating himself. The man then took a sip of his liquor. 

“Can I get something to drink?” he was still severely parched...and famished... 

Kyouraku took a second sip, visibly contemplating.

If his captor was so worried about his health and bend on taking care of him, then why the hesitation?

“You’ll get something to drink.” Kyouraku mused after another long minute of savouring his alcohol. Which made Sousuke even more thirsty. The prospect of swishing that cold liquid in his mouth was making him salivate... He averted his eyes from the glass to connect with Kyouraku’s eyes. “But only after you earn it.” 

He raised a brow when Kyouraku stood up, the cardigan was then shrugged off, before Kyouraku stepped closer. Towering over Sousuke, the man’s hands rested blatantly on his belt, palming the leathery strap as if he was about to undo it. 

So there was the sexual undertone again. “I thought you suggested I rest?”

“You’re resting on your knees,” Kyouraku shrugged. “the only thing that has to move is your mouth.” 

Not entirely on his knees though, at least not on his left one. His left leg was awkwardly stretched, avoiding support as much as possible, because that only ignited terrible aches. And however odd his position was, Kyouraku had no trouble into urging him...

And while this was the ultimate opportunity to gain trust, Sousuke still couldn’t help the slight sneer of, “Did you take advantage of your bedridden husband like that?” 

“Not unless he asked me to. Mutual trust is important in a relationship.” Kyouraku definitely winked at that.

He snorted at the insinuation of trust. 

Sousuke couldn’t imagine giving up control while entirely bedridden, then again, he gave up plenty of control in his games. A diversion that worked wonders... 

“What’s the matter, first time?”

Far from it actually.

“I’ve had an agreement with a friend about giving each other...pleasure.”

“Fuckbuddies.” Kyouraku murmured in his glass.

Well did it have to sound so crass? It certainly hadn’t been mere sex to Sousuke... Unfortunately, he couldn’t say the same about...Urahara. 

“Give me some liquid courage at least.” he needed something for his parched throat.

Kyouraku dipped his fingers in the glass before trailing those wet fingertips over Sousuke’s lips.

Sousuke lapped up the moisture almost immediately, licking at Kyouraku’s fingers. The vicious tang that accompanied the taste welcoming. But it wasn’t enough by far. And when he took in one of those fingertips, eager to get the last drop of alcohol, Kyouraku retracted his fingers.

He looked up at Kyouraku, mesmerised by the smouldering gaze. Not even aware of the fact that he was sucking at his own bottom lip to quench that insufferable thirst. 

But Kyouraku was quick to fix his oral fixation by thumbing his bottom lip again.

And the fresh taste of the alcohol made Sousuke suck that thumb in completely, hollowing out his cheeks as if he could drain that finger. Its response just as fervently, because Kyouraku was caressing along his tongue.

Sousuke could just barely hear the sounds of Kyouraku’s belt unclasping. And then a warm palm settled on the back of his neck, while Kyouraku’s thumb slipped from his lips. Before he was urged to face a proud half hard cock.

Like the rest of the man, Kyouraku was big.

Was he really about to suck off some random man, one that had shot him and locked him down in a basement nonetheless... He didn’t know much about Kyouraku, or the man’s sexual past for that matter...

He palmed Kyouraku’s cock, weighting the hefty length while slowly rubbing up and down.

If he had to believe Kyouraku, the man had been happily married which made Sousuke assume it must have been a monogamous relationship. But what after his husband’s death? Had Kyouraku just resorted to the services of his hand?

Despite Kyouraku’s supposed caring nature, the deviant manner in which Sousuke was forced to please him, didn’t exactly make it that probable that Kyouraku would have remained abstinent. 

Kyouraku’s cock had hardened delightfully by then. But it was the dollop of liquid at the top, that reeled Sousuke in. Doubts cast aside for the moment, he wrapped his hand steadily around the base before kissing his way up the length.

The smell and the taste, not exactly unpleasant. Musky, of course, pure desire. That heavy tang was really just a part of the excitement of blowjobs.

Mouthing his way back down, he entirely ignored the beady dollop of precum. He was content with swirling his tongue deliberately over the pulsating veins, eliciting husky groans from Kyouraku.

While Kyouraku’s large palms were merely resting on Sousuke’s back, now and then trailing over his shoulders and neck, never applying any pressure whatsoever. In fact, that patience really only encouraged Sousuke to work the man to the edge. 

On his next journey up, he finally wrapped his lips around the tip. The watery liquid of the precum really just a burst of salvation on his tongue.

He slowly set up a rhythm, up and down. All the while relishing Kyouraku’s gentle caresses. His own pleasure didn’t matter at that point, but Kyouraku’s touch was comforting and nice. It was really just a job to earn his reward after all.

Yet that wasn’t true.

He genuinely enjoyed making Kyouraku tremble and steady himself on his shoulders, even though that forced Sousuke to reposition so his left leg couldn’t act up.

And then he wasn’t talking about quenching his thirst yet, because blowing Kyouraku had made him start to salivate, and that precum was just...exquisite.

Sousuke then started applying pressure along Kyouraku’s length with deliberate squeezes, while making sure that his mouth never left that cock entirely. 

Leaving the tip dipped in between his lips, he quickened his strokes, eager to feel that climax spurting down his throat. 

To which one of those palms slid up in his hair, and Sousuke moaned encouragingly around the rigid length. In reaction, Kyouraku’s hands redirected to palm his cheeks instead. A cursed groan of, “S...so good.” resounded from above.

He chuckled and took Kyouraku down again, working that cock with his mouth and his wrist. Before speeding up both undulating motions so Kyouraku supported himself again on his shoulders. 

The weight was crushing which made Sousuke steadily keep that rhythm. But with Kyouraku teetering and his hips jerking randomly, ecstasy was nearing rapidly.

Sousuke sucked with desperation until Kyouraku simply bursted. And he swallowed the thick cum that shot down his throat without even thinking twice on his previous concerns.

There, job done.

He slowly let Kyouraku’s cock slip from his mouth while making sure he had Kyouraku’s full attention. Kyouraku’s thumb then ran along his lips for a last caress, before Sousuke’s cheeks were palmed again.

Kyouraku leaned down and Sousuke saw their kiss nearing, but before their lips could touch, he shrugged off Kyouraku’s hold. “You owe me water.” he said resolutely.

He felt Kyouraku’s murmured sigh against his cheek. The man then straightened up again and nodded. And owned up to his promise, because a couple of minutes later Kyouraku came back down with a tray full of food and a flask of water.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

>   
> A/N: The story has one more chapter, normally it had three, but man it gets longer every time I write lol. A part of the next chapter is already written and I normally wanted to add that to this chapter, but...I think I’m going to leave you all in some more suspense. No, for real: it would else just turn out into a gigantic chapter... And yes I can already reveal that part of the next chapter will be in Kyouraku’s pov. 
> 
> A/N: As for the gun, no I didn’t put extensive research into it, for a reason. I don’t want any police come knocking on my door, just imagine: Why were you searching that? Oh, you know, for my homoerotic fiction.... yeah, that would catch the news lol. So Aizen is entirely clueless about the weapon and just calls it a riffle or a gun. But, since Kyouraku was in the military, he would need to know the exact term. Which he will do in the next chapter, but just remember that it’s not going to be detailed. 


	4. Research sweetheart

**Chapter four: Research sweetheart**

It was three o’clock in the morning when Shunsui shot awake. The gurgled scream and the image of one of his own recruits as their throat was being slid open, an undesirable memory of what happened when a mission went wrong. 

What he wouldn’t give for a night of uninterrupted sleep...

Turning on the light, he looked beside him, where the silhouette of an angel would be looking out for him. A cup of a nightcap in his hand, an offering that would soon be followed by soothing words and warm arms around him.

Yet, there was nothing...

He wasn’t only being plagued by terrors caused by a multitude of deployments, he was also haunted with the reminder of a loved one. It was always either of the two. Unfortunately, no whiskey was strong enough to drown him into oblivion. 

It wasn’t specifically exhaustion or the essential need for rest that sobered Shunsui out of the haze of tipsiness, but the confrontation with his worst demon; loneliness. 

His late husband, Jushiro, had done a wonderful job of chasing away the violent night-terrors. And in exchange, Shunsui had been there when his lover was choked into breathlessness by that terrible disease.

While now, Shunsui was doomed to wake up with no one there beside him. No one to tell him it was going to be alright. As if he was being punished for all the innocent sacrifices he had made while on duty.

Jushiro wasting, slowly and painfully, away, hadn’t been enough of an atonement...

At least the couple of nightcaps he drank still helped in finding his sleep... Until the next shadow appeared.

He could have gone looking for a new love. But the thrill of dating had vanished along with his heart. They could never compare to Jushiro. A quick paid fix beneath the sheets was the only thrill he still sought. But what could a pair of nice legs bring, except a fleeting climax? 

So even those costly visits had fell flat.

Nobody would be good enough.

And then he had met Sousuke, an angel in the making. Attractive for sure, but accustomed as Shunsui was to the feeling of real love, there needed to be more than just that initial spark of attraction. 

The moment Sousuke almost ran into his car, from that moment he knew. That, was what he had to have. 

For once, he was curious for more.

And he wasn’t disappointed. The fire and passion in those flirty eyes, rekindling an old flame from within him. One that had been extinguished for long.

Sousuke was an intelligent and ambitious young man, eager to see the rest of the world. And seemingly not really keen on staying with Shunsui. 

Although, Shunsui hadn’t been straightforward in the first place, his Casanova trait had rusted over the years. His subtle advances hadn’t lured Sousuke in at all. Perhaps he had even come across a little too blunt at times. And humour hadn’t exactly been Sousuke’s strongest forte...

Because Sousuke had stubbornly held on to the idea of hitching with someone else.

And the danger of losing that one hope had made Shunsui mad. If he had to clip the wings of his newfound angel, then so be it. A bull’s eye with his trusted tactical shotgun had been inevitable. As if he had been hunting Sousuke. 

The reverberation from the shot had evaporated the haze of madness. While Sousuke’s scream had exposed the reality of his actions; he had actually hurt Sousuke. 

Collateral damage, he had told himself, but one that wouldn’t do any good in restoring Sousuke’s faith in him. 

And yet, years of military service and managing wildlife by hunting, had him perfecting his aim. Sousuke hadn’t been a target meant to be destroyed. The flickering neon sign had been a beacon of light that had guided him, even in the maddening grasp of shadows. 

A shot wound in the thigh, naturally avoiding any bone, was the result. Nothing he couldn’t patch up again.

His storage of Nitrous Oxide would come in handy. What was once a recreational pain relief for Jushiro had become an actual anaesthetic. 

Though, Sousuke in full paralysis had unearthed Shunsui’s fears of his own shadow once again. Enraged by the simple notion of what he had unconsciously been setting up, Shunsui would have liked nothing more than to drive Sousuke back to Rabbit Flat, where the backpacker could get his next hitch. 

But the young man wouldn’t leave it at that, Sousuke would report him to the cops. The description of Shunsui’s appearance would eventually lead them to his farmhouse.

It was too late now, he had got what he wanted and there was no going back, the only direction he could take was; forward. Unless he took the easy route with a merciful shot. But he had never any intention to kill Sousuke, not even to hurt him... 

And so his basement, that had once sufficed as a play room for him and Jushiro, had become the perfect entrapment. It all actually fell into place.

And while he normally slowly wanted to build something up with Sousuke, albeit in a slightly dysfunctional manner, the passion in Sousuke’s eyes had made way for a fierce contempt? Even after Shunsui had sworn that he would basically give Sousuke anything and everything he wanted.

Except that what Sousuke wanted desperately... He wouldn’t and couldn’t set Sousuke free.

Not that the fire in Sousuke had dwindled. The evidence of that still vividly clear every time Shunsui looked in the mirror. A vicious red lining started at his right temple and ended just beneath his tear duct. It had earned him blurry eyesight and a teary eye, even though he couldn’t visibly see anything wrong with his eye at all.

His angel in the making was still a devil, claws ready to scratch his eyes out. Which wasn’t necessarily a dealbreaker. That fire within Sousuke only alighted a hot and heady desire in Shunsui.

And sultry, Sousuke was. From those luscious lips all the way to that pert bottom.

It didn’t take much to convince himself to abuse his position in a sexual manner. Shunsui had always been a root rat, no denying, he enjoyed sex. He always had been a good lover as well, making sure his partner was in pure ecstasy.

The thought had his cock twitching with hunger and that naturally lead him down into the basement.

And during his track down it dawned on him that he had fairly easily recovered from his nightmare, it hadn’t spiralled him into a full-blown anxiety attack, like it normally would, because Sousuke had taken over in his thoughts.

An angel after all.

Especially when Sousuke slept.

Shunsui carefully crouched down next to the sleeping beauty and draped the blanket, that had slipped off, back over Sousuke’s bare skin. The warmth radiating from Sousuke had Shunsui pausing in the midst of tucking Sousuke in.

It was slightly chilly down in the basement, he could attest to that while glad in only his boxers. But Sousuke’s body heat was enough to ignite a fire in him. 

Despite their routine of him coming down, allowing Sousuke some time in the bathroom, before the younger man would almost automatically ease down on his knees, Shunsui wasn’t about to wake Sousuke up. At least not for that reason.

He was content in just watching. There was something comforting about being able to observe the rise and fall of Sousuke’s chest. It was peaceful, influencing a calmness within him.

Shunsui would have even be able to settle in next to Sousuke, get some shut eye himself. The presence of his angel had always soothed him. But as much as Sousuke had obeyed to his conditions, these passed few days, he wasn’t about to throw caution to the wind and take down his guard.

He glanced back up at Sousuke’s relaxed facial features, but there was no resting going on there. Sousuke’s eyes were wide open and looking at him.

“How are you doing?” he would keep on asking until he actually got an answer.

But Sousuke sighed exaggeratedly and turned on his side, away from Shunsui.

He chuckled.

It was kind of amusing how much his two angels differed from each other, they couldn’t be more than each other’s opposites. Jushiro had taught him how to care, had tamed his unruly and rebellious character. And that while Jushiro himself had always put his own health to the background.

It had taken a while for Shunsui to understand, that all that Jushiro had given him, he just had taken that all for granted...

Jushiro’s deteriorating health had eventually opened his eyes and his selfishness had made way for selflessness at last. Until his husband’s death, because that had only upgraded his selflessness into self-destruction. 

And then came Sousuke...

Polite, prim and proper. Or that was at least what Sousuke had been portraying. It had been fairly easy to uncover the truth, even before Shunsui had shot through the curtain of lies. 

No, Sousuke was a fury, encased by a shell of propriety. Something that reminded Shunsui of his own past self. And he would be the one to correct Sousuke, the same way, Jushiro had done for him. 

A hitched cry and Sousuke suddenly sitting up to grasp at his leg alerted Shunsui back to the present. The blanket was haphazardly thrown off while Sousuke was gripping at his thigh.

Shunsui was quick to intervene, massaging his way around the bandages, trying to lessen the leg’s violent tremors. Even when Sousuke was practically punching his helping hands away. 

No lie, he had no background in medicine, but emergency situations while on deployment had called for urgent operations and stitches when there had been no medical personnel around. All of his recruits had survived his interventions. Though it would afterwards be looked over by a professional and followed by physical therapy.

Which was not happening for Sousuke anytime soon.

He had rewrapped Sousuke’s stitch wound a couple of times and it seemed to be healing nicely. Nerve and muscle damage was likely Sousuke’s biggest obstacle right now.

Sousuke just needed to move that leg more often, bite through the bullet of initial pain to strengthen any splintered nerves and muscles. What else was physical therapy, but straining oneself and exercising the damaged limb back into shape.

“You made me a cripple.” Sousuke bit out between clenched teeth, palms grasping around Shunsui’s wrist, trying in vain to halt his massaging.

“Shh...” He hushed Sousuke and continued until the uncontrollable shaking had lessened drastically. By then Sousuke had dropped back down, uneven breathing still a souvenir of his cramped agony.

Shunsui allowed Sousuke to come down first, before he manoeuvred the younger male into his arms and whisked him away to the bathroom. And Sousuke had been relatively cooperative, despite fervent protests.

The routine in the bathroom wasn’t followed with Sousuke’s hot mouth around him. It was still the crack of dawn, way too early to thrust back into pleasure, unless he had morning wood that needed to be taken care of, he rather went about his day first. 

Like managing wildlife for example. The hunt, a thrilling and exciting chase that was sure to drive the last of his sleep deprived brain into focus. With the sun rising, most of the animals were on the lookout for shelter from the upcoming heat.

After that, he would stock up on some food. Clean up his loot from the hunt, make the carcasses ready for the taxidermist. Then he would drink until it wasn’t only his right eye that was troubled with murky vision. And with all of his images blending together, it was most likely time to pay Sousuke another visit. 

And with all habits down in the basement falling into place, towelling Sousuke dry was really just an opportunity to feel his way up and down that wonderful body. Which urged his blood to rush south and somehow for his vision to sober up enough to zone in on Sousuke worshipping his cock. 

With Sousuke’s nose nuzzling into his dark coarse curls, Shunsui often found himself taking support on Sousuke’s shoulders. That hot constricting channel made him lose all inhibitions. But it was also becoming a lot clearer when Sousuke was overexerting himself. Countless of shifting and repositioning had Shunsui halting Sousuke’s bobbing head. “Lie down.” he said in a barely comprehensible slur when those luscious lips dragged slowly up his shaft.

“Mhh?” Sousuke’s reverberating response only made him want to shove back down that throat once Sousuke finally allowed him to jump free. The evil smirk on those glistening lips was testing his will power, big time.

“Lie down.” Shunsui repeated, before easing Sousuke down by the shoulders. Kneeling down beside Sousuke’s head, he then guided his cock to be smothered by that warmth again.

While he was simultaneously fiddling with a bottle of lube. And when his fingers were sufficiently covered in slick, he pulled up Sousuke’s right knee and out, before finding his way to Sousuke’s wrinkled hole.

Sousuke had stopped sucking him in, lips still wrapped around him, and teeth a lot more prominent around his shaft, the young male seemed a little too fixated on the stretch.

“Just my fingers.” Shunsui encouraged.

His determination would be cursing out that promise. But, Sousuke’s thigh wouldn’t agree with their fervent movements when truly intertwined. It would be a lot harder for Shunsui to keep himself in check when that tight heat, that was now slowly pulling his fingers in, was wrapped around his cock.

So fingers it would be. Just because sex was out of the question, didn’t mean that they couldn’t play around a little. Fingering was an excellent prelude to full penetration. Make that hole loosen and get adjusted to the stretch.

Which Sousuke accustomed to beautifully. That ass was sucking him in as much as that mouth was, clinging to his fingers. And Sousuke’s cock was twitching in earnest, jumping for Shunsui’s attention.

“You like those fingers, boy?” he rasped with a deliberate deeper jab into velvet walls.

Sousuke had responded with a thrust of his hips, which triggered his thigh most likely, since the warmth around Shunsui’s cock disappeared and hands scrambled down to the bandages.

“Shh.” He shooed Sousuke’s hands away and reduced his stabbing rhythm into slower undulations while slathering Sousuke’s cock with a dollop of lube. He then pumped Sousuke’s need along to his fingering. 

His own momentarily forgotten when Sousuke had turned his head into the mattress, his muscles were visibly straining. The desire to respond to Shunsui’s touches probably maddening. 

Especially when his rubs slowed down, since Sousuke’s cock-head started to drool, smoothening each movement. 

He looked at Sousuke’s expression. Was there anything more erotic than seeing those eyes clench shut and mouth opening in a silent scream. It had Shunsui relocating his grip unto his own cock, wet with lubricant and Sousuke’s juices, his fist slid with squishing noises up and down. 

While his fingers were still searching and stretching. A particular push into Sousuke had the young man’s cock practically leaking unto his stomach. Shunsui then decided to steadily abuse that area until Sousuke’s hips teetered up again.

Now that wouldn’t do.

And when he abruptly stopped and retracted his fingers, he drew out the most delectable whimper. Sousuke’s wrist blindingly searched Shunsui’s, demanding to fill that fluttering wet hole again.

But Shunsui straddled Sousuke’s torso instead, ready to sink his cock in between those swollen lips. His left hand busy with shrugging off his cardigan and shirt, it was too hot, while his right hand had to steady his shaft when Sousuke’s lips hadn’t eased open. He had smeared his head across those cheeks, making do with the ragged breath that surrounded his moist cock. 

All the while Sousuke’s eyes were locked unto him, devilish glint delighting in Shunsui’s urgency. Which remained seductively focused on him, even when Sousuke’s lips opened again to take him in.

He finally managed to free his torso from any fabric, before he reached back to grab Sousuke’s need again. Every time his hips drove further in Sousuke’s mouth, his hand would pull up and each time he drew back, his hand would squeeze down. Eliciting delicious moans from Sousuke that reverberated through his cock. 

The palm that travelled up Shunsui’s chest, trailing into his chest-hair, made him slur a string of praises that didn’t sound quite like words. The contrast of their bodies perfect. It had Shunsui squeezing along Sousuke’s smooth chest as well, teasing those pert nipples with a couple of tweaks that had Sousuke squirming.

When Sousuke’s palm then moved to Shunsui’s cock, stopping him just short on his next thrust, the plea of, “I need you inside.” washed over him like hot steam, making it momentarily difficult to adhere to his determination of no penetration. 

Forgoing his own jerking on Sousuke’s rigid length, he lifted Sousuke’s right leg up again. His fingers sought out Sousuke’s hole, but the angle worked to his disadvantage. Unless he leaned back and forgot about Sousuke’s mouth around him, he wouldn’t be reaching deep enough. And without Sousuke’s hips being able to arch up, he would need a pillow or something beneath that ass... 

Yet as close as he was to his own ecstasy, Shunsui really didn’t feel like running up the stairs.

So his palm relocated back to Sousuke’s cock while simultaneously removing Sousuke’s blocking arm to thrust back into that delicious heat. Maybe it was Sousuke’s returning vigour that got him closer to the edge, because digging fingers into his abdomen and hips, only spurred him on.

And with Sousuke swallowing him in instead of biting down, it was safe to say he wasn’t pushing boundaries even though he was steadily fucking into Sousuke’s mouth by then. The choking sounds, the constriction around his need and Sousuke still fervently debating whether to push him off or pull him in, made him snap.

Desperately reaching down, Shunsui aided his upcoming urgency with quick strokes that brought him to an aching release. Sousuke’s diligent mouth had stilled, lips open and tongue out, it was now besmirched with a thick cream of his cum.

To see those lips then smacking closed and Sousuke’s Adam’s apple bobbing in a signal that it was swallowed had Shunsui’s tip leaking a last spurt of need.

Breath still laboured at the display and their exertion, Shunsui did remember to return to jerking Sousuke’s shaft, yet when Sousuke’s protests prevented his grab, he was ready to leave the younger man to his own hand.

Until Sousuke pleaded, “I want you inside of me.” along with a rather deliberate grip around Shunsui’s cock that squeezed him into a painful spastic thrust. Shunsui shouldn’t even think about the proposition, but with his blood still pumping furiously, how could he possibly deny that desperation?

So he settled in between Sousuke’s legs and grabbed his hips to ever so carefully adjust Sousuke’s ass on top of him. Painful grimaces and hands gripping his wrists included, Shunsui knew that every movement with Sousuke’s left leg, was one too many.

He then stuffed himself inside. Sousuke’s delicious half cry tinged with hurt made his hips reflexively thrust once more. But it would take a while before he could actually spring back in action. His cock being warmed by that delightful channel was good enough in the aftermath of his orgasm.

Anchoring Sousuke’s hips to complete stillness on his lap, he rubbed Sousuke to completion.And Sousuke’s ass responding to him by clamping down made Shunsui admittedly writhe, but he remained true to his promise and didn’t indulge in full-blown thrusts.

Because honestly, keeping Sousuke secured was already a feat in itself, when the younger male was squirming violently and crying out a mantra of, “Yes!”

And eventually Sousuke’s release spilling into his palm was a salvation when Sousuke’s hole was kneading him back into a painful semi half mast. And retreating from that delicious quivering snug fit was even harder.

He was therefore quick to leave a gasping Sousuke alone to his devices, just so he could cool down himself. Besides, preparing Sousuke a basket full of food and something to drink was included in their routine...

And afterwards, he would have expected to be faced with a face full of pure bliss. Their satisfaction normally dripping off of them. But except the sounds of Sousuke gulping down water and munching on pieces of chicken, his fury was silent. 

The aftermath was actually mostly spent in silence. Kind of a bummer after all that frenzied passion... 

Shunsui really couldn’t fathom why. He provided Sousuke with everything, all of the young man’s basic needs were taken care of.

And yet, he was stuck with images, but no sound.

Recovery probably wiped out his angel, add their strenuous activities and Sousuke was in dire need of some rest. Come tomorrow, he would be talkative again. But, It hadn’t really dawned on Shunsui that besides getting physical, they really hadn’t talked much...

After a couple of days, the silent treatment got worse. Shunsui couldn’t even count on a routinely blowjob, because he was simply denied any pleasure. And when he sought to rectify that, well, his fury exploded. 

“I’m going stir-crazy in here, I need something productive to do. All I have to entertain me are four walls, why do you expect me to do all day? Sleep? Your cock is basically the highlight of my day.”

How could it not? Shunsui thought with a chuckle.

Sousuke was currently towelling himself dry, a privilege that was also taken away from Shunsui. Which kept them regrettably at a distance. But to see all that bottled up fury being spewed out had its charm as well. 

For one, Sousuke was talking non-stop.

“I need to get out of these walls, I’m not going to spent my live underground.”

And furious as Sousuke was, the young male’s non English nativeness was underlined with a heavy accent. Sousuke’s speech pattern was as angry as the rest of him.

Kind of adorable, he had been waiting on a reaction, and boy did he get a reaction. 

Shunsui crossed his arms over each other, patiently listening to the outburst. 

He understood it though, Sousuke was able to catch up on his lack of rest, day and night. So he needed something to keep him busy. Or so he thought. 

“I could bring you a book?” he offered.

“You don’t seem to understand it, do you?” Sousuke bit out and threw the towel in Shunsui’s direction. “I have the solution for you, perhaps you can shoot my other leg as well so I can’t run away?”

“Relax mate.” Shunsui conceded with a gesture, but it only increased Sousuke’s fury.

“Relax? I have done nothing but relax for the passed...I don’t even know how many days!...”

Oh man... He nearly didn’t have enough to drink to deal with that... So he turned around, ready to let Sousuke cool down completely.

But Sousuke’s vicious, “Yes, run away, drink some more and only come back when you’re drunk enough...” was rather confronting.

He had a little bit of a problem with drinking. So to have it spelled out by someone that had only seen him a maximum of four times a day, was depressing. Which was sadly a wonderful incentive to only prove that claim...

-0-

Sousuke had plenty of time to think about revenge. And after all possible scenarios, it all came back down to that gun. He needed that rifle in his hands. There would be nothing sweeter than pulling the trigger. A true eye for an eye. 

He had tried pushing Kyouraku’s buttons, see how far he could stretch the older man’s patience. And on occasions, Kyouraku did aim his gun, in drunken fashion. But that was as far as it went.

The madman was not about to kill him anytime soon. Nor was Kyouraku foolish enough to leave the gun in hand reach. In fact, Sousuke hadn’t seen the weapon in a couple of days. 

It maybe lessened the danger around Kyouraku and increased his chances to manipulate the man.

It was almost too easy. Kyouraku really was the one who set up his own trap. Sex was all Kyouraku had had in mind. All it took for Sousuke to get what he wanted was simple, take away his own willingness to abide to Kyouraku’s sexual fantasies, and the man would do anything to restore that connection.

There had been a potential of Kyouraku becoming violent and forcing him, but since Kyouraku had been adamant on being gentle...the chance that that would happen was small. And really with his freedom on the line, Sousuke would risk it anyways. 

And thus, Kyouraku seeking his acknowledgement was inevitable. 

To be presented with that opportunity, felt almost surreal. And yet after stubbornly declining Kyouraku’s needs and continuing his litany of discontentment for days, Kyouraku...gave in.

Sousuke was currently being carried up the stairs that mouthed out in the kitchen. He actually saw little of the kitchen, simply because he was so focused on the rays of sunlight that shone through the windows. Cooped up in a basement had him missing the heat of the sun on his skin and the manner in which windows brightened up a place in a heartbeat.

Finally he would have some sense of time...

He barely comprehended that he was being chained in the living room to a similar hoop in the wall when he was too busy taking it all in.

The rustic style he encountered around him was utterly inviting. An accentuated wall in stone that seemed to double as a fireplace complimented wooden beams that decorated the ceiling. And all wood trimming was dark and similar enough in colour, creating a picture perfect harmony. Faux-furs, or at least Sousuke fervently deemed it so, covered an L shaped leather sofa. 

It wasn’t exactly what he had imagined Kyouraku’s farm house to look like internally. Not when he caught a glimpse of the outside... The house had looked a little weathered. Or that could have been his near unconscious state or the dusk outside...

He didn’t even glance twice when Kyouraku pointed out how he could reach the smallest room of the house on his own; a toilet with a sink. Ah...at least he had some form of privacy.

Kyouraku then took a place on the sofa and gestured at the television and the wooden bookshelf. “How’s that for entertainment?”

But Sousuke was still looking around at that point. A picture of Kyouraku and his husband on the mantlepiece had him grasping said photograph. They both looked happy, looking into each other’s eyes. 

With no madness present in Kyouraku’s. Which made Sousuke glance at said man, who was keeping his handling of the photograph under great scrutiny.

Must be a precious reminder. He therefore placed the photo back on the mantlepiece.

Still, he couldn’t help but wonder if Kyouraku’s husband had seen the dangerous side of Kyouraku, the one that was hidden in the shadows... 

“I had expected your wall to be full of animal heads and photographs of you and your gun.” But no, it wasn’t cluttered at all, here and there a peaceful landscape painting, but that was it.

Kyouraku laughed in that deep rumble again, the one that Sousuke admitted was nice to listen to. “Why in the world would I do that?”

“You shoot animals.” he concluded. “Hunters like to see their prize hanging on the wall.” Perhaps his own judgement of Kyouraku’s character was a little, okay primarily, influenced by the fact that the man had shot him and chained him in a basement. Could anyone blame him? 

Another one of those deep rumbles resounded, accompanied with Kyouraku rubbing his teary eye. Then he stood up and slinked Sousuke’s way. “Yeah...actually, I was thinking of nailing you to the wall.”

He lashed out.

Sousuke wasn’t proud of it in any way, shape or form, since it was his intention to fool Kyouraku further into thinking the man had a chance... But then Kyouraku’s ‘humour’ riled him up and he decked out with his left fist.

Had Kyouraku, not frustratingly, blocked his incoming punch and pulled him into a strong embrace. The chain was also stretched tightly due to Kyouraku’s sneaky limbs which had Sousuke’s head forcedly tilted to look up into that handsome smug face. “Oi, oi, oi, I’m being nice here...”

Sousuke really ought to channel his anger, especially now that Kyouraku had given him a taste of freedom, and yet he couldn’t return that beaming smile when he was steadfastly set on expressing his frustration throughout a glower.

But what startled him, seconds later, was the kiss that Kyouraku stole from him. Their lips touched for a moment and when he pushed his palm against Kyouraku’s chest, the man let him go with ease. Kyouraku then returned to the sofa, while Sousuke was still contemplating whether he had enjoyed that or not.

The sweet tang of liquor was a lot more pleasant on Kyouraku’s lips...

“I manage wildlife, I don’t kill for sport.”

“Oh.” he breathed unintelligently. His brain was working hard for a comeback... “Well... It’s your game. You think I take your reasoning for granted, just like that? You can really tell me anything, I’m not familiar with which species are meant to be preserved and which...not.”

Kyouraku stood up again, only to walk to the bookcase this time. And after a bit of browsing, a particular book was taken out and held out to Sousuke. “Research sweetheart,” Kyouraku winked. “I’m sure you as a law student are familiar with that.” 

He didn’t take the book. Just as a principle. Kyouraku was mocking him, that friendly smile wasn’t fooling him, not by far.

At his disinterest, the book was put back into place to which Kyouraku leaned against the wooden frame. The manner in which was a little too confident to Sousuke’s liking. “Any other concerns?”

As a matter of fact, he had. “Then what do you use your creepy shed for? A scare tactic to frighten the tourists you shoot, or as preparation to preserve male backpackers?” 

“I merely clean the carcasses, patch up the ugly work and then sell my loot to someone who will preserve them. It increases the amount I get.” An insinuation that sounded sinister when not taking Kyouraku’s animal preservation into account. But he was not about to give Kyouraku the satisfaction of unsettling him. It was likely another one of his misplaced jokes... And then Kyouraku clarified, “Or in your case, I took out the bullet and stitched you back up.”

Kyouraku’s demeanour was the worst of it all. The man was nonchalantly covering up his predatory behaviour.

“And now I should thank you because you changed your mind at the last minute and didn’t kill me after all?” he questioned.

“I told you, it was never my intention to hurt you. I just...” No continuation of that sentence came, but it was pretty clear that Kyouraku was looking for an excuse.

Which Sousuke was long since passed.

He then saw something moving outside of the window, in the far distance. And although he had his end goal in mind, he was still ready to grasp any sort of salvation. He then walked up to the window, which he still couldn’t quite reach due to his chains, but crying out for help should get attention either way.

But it had been a horse? “You own horses?” In fact the pasture was full of horses.

Kyouraku ducked underneath the chain to open his liquor storage that was disguised in a vintage world globe, next to the sofa. “What were you expecting, kangaroos?”

He rather didn’t answer that and kept his gaze directed to the outside. He didn’t see the shed, nor the red pickup truck. But he could confirm that Kyouraku seemingly owned a lot of land. The pastures stretched far into the back.

The environment wasn’t that different from Tanami road itself, the same red dusty sand, foliage enough to go around, maybe a little more grass... But overall, he could safely say that he was probably close to the main road.

Orientation would be important when he probably had to drive off. 

But first, it was time to lock his own sentiments away again if he wanted to get to that part. And honestly, the comfortable setting made it also easier to get into his role again. 

Kyouraku was stuck on his habits, so as soon as Sousuke got accustomed to his new sleeping arrangement on the sofa, he became aware that Kyouraku’s evenings were spend on the couch. A glass of liquor in the man’s hand and channel surfing a handful of programs on tv. 

And before Sousuke could even properly lure Kyouraku into their arrangement again, he was already nestled into Kyouraku’s arms. Cuddled beneath a blanket, watching tv... Which wasn’t entirely part of their habit, at least it wasn’t in the basement. But it was definitely a lot easier to get used to.

He normally didn’t really like all that cuddling, but he would be lying if he denied the comfort of those strong arms. Which was sometimes a major conflict in his mind. The man had shot him, he shouldn’t even remotely attach nice feelings to Kyouraku and certainly not comfort.

His leg cramping up was an all too heavy reminder, that he apparently needed...

And besides cuddling, well, Kyouraku had no Netflix, but sure did seem to understand the concept of Netflix and chill...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Nitrous Oxide wouldn’t exactly be a smart recreational use for someone like Jushiro, since it has the risk of asphyxiation, but hey if it wasn’t clear yet, this is not a scientific dissertation, but fiction, mkay? 
> 
> A/N: A tactical shotgun, as far as my research goes, is not exactly a legal weapon, but, with Kyouraku’s militaristic background and the guy being a little crazy, he would find a way to get his hands on something like that. Obviously. 


	5. No turning back

**Chapter five: No turning back**

Sousuke often found himself with his face schmoozed into a pillow and Kyouraku’s tongue buried deeply in him. If the man wasn’t so proficient with his tongue and his fingers, or attractive for that matter, he would have long since sprang into action.

Because he had Kyouraku sufficiently distracted in those times. In fact, he could have had access to glass, through the liquor set, in order to attack a completely unguarded Kyouraku. And yet...he was fixated on getting that gun in his hands. Or in those moments, he was much too focused on getting Kyouraku in his hands...

During the day, Kyouraku was gone from morning until the evening. Doing Kami knows what, but it included tending to his horses. Or at least, that was what Sousuke was able to witness through the windows. 

He had also seen the vehicle driving off, which had triggered him into another state of shock the first time he had seen it. To be confronted with that matte cherry glistening in the sun...knowing it had been his doom and had ended with Kyouraku chasing him...

On those moments it was hard to distract himself. He tried though, by reading any of the books, exercising his leg into shape again,... But that was about it, his newly acquired freedom was already beginning to drain his appreciative state after a couple of days. 

Kyouraku would still check up on him during the day, in order to make sure that Sousuke had everything on hand. But...to see Kyouraku walk back outside, just enhanced his envy. Oh to be outside again and go wherever... 

Pure freedom...

Which Kyouraku completely embodied. To see the man riding one of his horses, herding off the rest into another pasture, most likely, was breathtaking. Kyouraku did have a certain charm when controlling his animals. Whip in hand, the sun beating down on his skin, making those arms and chest shimmer with a sheen of sweat...

Sousuke turned stubbornly away from the sight. But as he took to browsing the books, he soon stumbled upon the fact that he had read all of it, or at least those that sparked his interest. Since the bookcase wasn’t exactly stuffed with literary trophies...

The door opening signalled Kyouraku’s return, which was followed with Kyouraku’s usual greeting of, “How are you doing?”

And instead of ignoring that question, like he normally would have, Sousuke had taken to answering. Mostly to give Kyouraku an update about his health, or to be more specific about his thigh. It delighted him that he could rub Kyouraku’s madness continuously into his face.

Because odd enough, Kyouraku did seem genuinely concerned about his leg.

His bandages were currently taken off and the stitched wound was inspected. The close proximity made Sousuke practically feel the sun’s rays bouncing off of Kyouraku, because the man was heated like a furnace... 

Sousuke had to experience that warmth first hand, so he almost unconsciously slid his hand into the back of Kyouraku’s neck. Which nudged Kyouraku’s ponytail to hang off of his left shoulder. Or what was left of the ponytail since a lot of strands hung loose. Wildly enhancing that rugged farmer look. That long hair once completely freed from a scrunchie, reached the middle of his back...

Kyouraku was glancing up at him, one eye glassy and squinting while the other was scrutinising his ministrations. The man had even stopped bandaging his thigh. 

The skin underneath his palm damp with sweat, but Sousuke just continued to trail his hand.

He didn’t know exactly what had compelled him to do it. It certainly was no tactic of his, since his teasing was normally a blatant incentive to sex. But this was almost loving?

At that thought, Sousuke had pulled back his hand. Kyouraku then straightened up and even though Sousuke saw those lips approaching his, he practically yearned for the kiss. And when Kyouraku’s lips finally moulded against his, pushing just enough so it wasn’t a mere innocent peck, but not a full make-out session either. All Sousuke could describe it as was, it was nice...very nice. 

Afterwards, Kyouraku just looked at him, which racked up his doubts...

And Sousuke just had to avert from that kind of intimacy. “I saw you riding your horse.” which wasn’t exactly smooth either, but it was the first thing that slipped into his mind.

“Have you ever rode a horse?” Kyouraku asked, still within an embracing distance. In fact, Kyouraku’s hands were clutching his hips. 

He shook his head, palming Kyouraku’s hands, with the intention of creating some space, but he was content in just standing there, touching. 

“Something tells me you’re a natural.” Kyouraku rumbled in a deep chuckle.

Sousuke shook his head again and almost lamented the feeling of those arms around him when Kyouraku walked away.

He hated that emotional dependency, but with Kyouraku being his only social interaction, he figured it was somewhat understandable. To have the other leave him alone, with barely anything to do, Kyouraku’s presence was basically a relief from boredom and loneliness.

Much time to contemplate that sentiment, wasn’t given when Kyouraku returned fairly quickly. The fabric that slipped around his shoulders made Sousuke think it was a blanket, but it had a different consistency from the fur one. And when his arms were guided into the fabric he was made aware of it being a shirt.

“It’s a little big on me, let alone on you...” Kyouraku murmured appreciatively from behind him.

It was checkered, of course, a deep red that barely covered his ass. But at least he was finally clothed again and he didn’t have to worry about escaping, wrapped in a blanket...

When Kyouraku turned him around, to face him, Sousuke was handed his shorts? The shorts he had worn when... But they were a lot shorter...the pants legs seemingly ripped off into booty-shorts. Which he would have shoved aside as Kyouraku’s pure indulgence, but with the bullet hole gone, he was beginning to think it was done deliberately to cut out that reminder... 

Sousuke was still forced to go commando. Yet he couldn’t complain when he was no longer walking around naked. He was not exactly decent either with his cheeks hanging out, but he was clothed. And instead of feeling relief about being dressed, he felt slightly uncomfortable... 

The shirt was okay, it was loose. But his jeans were a tight fit, a style reminiscent of his normal life.

And yet... 

What did feel like a liberation was the collar being freed. Sousuke still felt the fantom feeling of the heavy metal on his skin, so hearing the clanking of the chains falling down unto the ground, made him glance at Kyouraku expectantly. 

Kyouraku was allowing him to roam free?

The prospect should have had him bouncing on his heels, but he couldn’t exactly explore the house with Kyouraku next to him. Because where was the gun or his belongings,... Not to mention, he might have recovered in strength, but his thigh was far from healed. Running, or should he say, limping with Kyouraku on his heels wouldn’t get him far.

So when Kyouraku nudged his head, Sousuke obliged and followed immediately. As if he was a lost puppy following his owner... 

He was lead into the kitchen, where he recognised the door that had stairs descending down...

It was an old kitchen, the cabinets and counters reflected the house’s old age, unlike the living room.

When Kyouraku motioned again and Sousuke saw the door that was opened, leading outside, he halted. He momentarily contemplated snatching a knife out of one of the drawers, but then disappointment washed over him just as quick. It wouldn’t be the gun, it wouldn’t be the revenge he had in mind...

Fresh air cleared his troubled thoughts. And the heat melted his vengeance in one go. Oh he had forgotten how sweltering hot it could get outside... Kyouraku definitely had an air-conditioning installed. 

He would have gladly returned inside, but he was steadily tugged in a certain direction.

The shed was the first thing he laid eyes on and it had his breath hitching...Images, overshadowed by dawn blurred his vision, minutely making him stumble. 

But they weren’t going in that direction, but towards one of the pastures instead?

When his leg cramped up midst limping, Kyouraku had to act like a noble steed and had swooped him up in his arms. Which had Sousuke protesting at first, because he had to protect his independency...

But really, being carried was a lot easier.

Kyouraku set him down once they finally reached the pasture. And all the horses came trotting over as if eager to greet him.

“Will you stay here?”

Sousuke looked away from the incoming herd at Kyouraku’s request. And while it was probably meant in the context of standing next to the fence, it still got him thinking. To see Kyouraku’s anxious stare he would have almost blurted out a confident, yes! simply because he felt practically coerced to say it. 

And because that was part of his plan.

“I still have to get a couple of things. Riding without a saddle is not beginner friendly.”

What? Wait was Kyouraku implying he had to ride one of those massive beasts...

He couldn’t express his refusal when Kyouraku had already trotted off himself.

Somewhere it dawned that it was probably done to test his trust... Because in actuality he could limp off to the car, which he couldn’t really see anywhere. It was probably parked on the other side of the house. But he could just as easily run off and try to hide.

Yet after his last attempt that got him shot...that didn’t really sound like a plan. Besides he had a plan, which might take a little longer, but it was running smoothly. Because it wasn’t about his trust, but Kyouraku’s trust. The man was taking him off the leash, so to speak, which was his intention all along. 

It was only a matter of time before Kyouraku would become foolish enough to release him entirely...

He startled when the muzzle of one of the horses nudged into his neck. The animal breathed loudly, blatantly sniffing him and when another joined in by butting its head against its twin, Sousuke immediately took a step back. He wasn’t really keen on horses to be honest...

“Alright.” Kyouraku’s voice sounded from behind him.

The man was carrying a saddle, a bridle and reins? He really wasn’t about to convince Kyouraku of his refusal, was he? Because the man was beaming brightly while saddling up the horse that had just said hi.

And then Kyouraku lead the horse outside of the pasture, next to Sousuke, which only enhanced his fear of the massive beast. “I can’t...” he stammered, “With my leg I would completely cramp up...” 

Kyouraku barely even listened to his protests and quite frankly picked him up to place him in the saddle.

It was quite a height and he had to adjust himself so he wasn’t feeling like his thigh was about to act up anytime soon, but overall it wasn’t as bad as he had thought? Because Kyouraku was just leading the horse in a walking pace.

Yet he was still clamping the pommel tightly in his hands, afraid that if he should let go, the hobbling of the horse was enough to shake him off.

It was nice though. A saying that was practically becoming a mantra in his mind. And then he was basically downplaying the experience, because the landscape was just...beautiful. And seemed awfully familiar when he had seen it captured in the paintings hanging off of the living room wall.

Kyouraku directed them off of the property and into the bush... Not a single sign of a community around them while they seemingly walked towards the horizon.

And when the sun began to set, orange hues blending in with the red rocks and sands, he could only sigh in pure awe.

“Better than any tourist attraction that you in mind, huh?” Kyouraku patted his good thigh and waved around them. 

And while Sousuke certainly couldn’t deny that, it just rubbed him the wrong way. “If you hadn’t nearly killed me, I would have been able to see much more.” he griped back.

As he had expected that shut Kyouraku up. 

Silence while surrounded with such beautiful nature was everything he needed at that moment to find his peace. He tentatively stroked the horse’s mane and briefly missed the fact that he couldn’t capture this scenery with his phone...

To be honest though, he hadn’t really missed technology, not even while he was bored out of his mind with nothing to do. It was almost a relief not to be concerned about his status on social media...

Almost as if this all...was his true escape.

“I never wanted to kill you.” he glanced at Kyouraku, who was looking straight ahead. “I just wanted you...for myself.”

Not exactly a confession that sounded romantic... and it certainly didn’t warrant shooting someone and locking them up in a basement. “And you couldn’t have simply asked me?”

Like a sane person?

Kyouraku looked back at him. “Would you have stayed with me?”

Probably not. A random guy asking him to join him in the middle of nowhere... No it wouldn’t have interested him in the slightest. It still would have made Kyouraku come across as a creep... Just less dangerous.

“No.” he responded honestly.

It had Kyouraku nodding in disappointed acknowledgement which had Sousuke feeling slightly guilty for the blunt answer, but it was the truth. 

The horse interrupted them with a neigh of discontentment when Kyouraku had stopped leading. “That is the kind of rejection that I wouldn’t have been able to bear.” Kyouraku finally said after he had calmed the horse with a rub on its muzzle.

Alright. Sousuke definitely understood that, since he himself had been rejected by Urahara at his suggestion of turning their arrangement into a relationship. And after a few days, Urahara had rubbed his wound with salt by changing his relationship status from single to taken on social media, accompanied with a picture of him and his girlfriend... 

Yes, he definitely understood the pain it brought.

Their return to Kyouraku’s ranch was just as quiet, but a different silence. An uncomfortable one.

He certainly didn’t want to regress the progress with Kyouraku, and risk losing the man’s trust, so when he was taken off of the horse, he palmed Kyouraku’s cheeks and tugged the man to lean into him. “But if you ask me now, my answer might differ.” he whispered before sealing his suggestion with a kiss.

Kyouraku’s smile magically reappeared and the man seemingly shoved his insinuation aside by instead busying himself with the horse.

But that smile had said it all.

And like a cherry on top, Sousuke felt the need to reward Kyouraku by giving in as well. As soon as they entered the kitchen, he had squirmed out of his tight shorts, leaving not much to the imagination when he was glad in only Kyouraku’s shirt.

He then told Kyouraku that he would cook for him.

The fridge was fairly empty though so Sousuke just threw some ingredients together and called it a meal. Not that Kyouraku minded when he was too busy observing his show. He was being a blatant tease after all. Flaunting himself and bending over while he knew that Kyouraku’s eyes were glued to his ass.

It had earned him the right response though, since he was soon bend over on one of the counters and finally awarded for his efforts himself with Kyouraku’s cock inside of him. It was slow and sensual, Kyouraku was still afraid to mess up the wound and for that Sousuke was grateful for.

Because as much as he desired a good pounding himself, his thigh was already unhappy with Kyouraku’s leisure thrusts.

Though with his own hands stuck in Kyouraku’s hair, tugging the man closer for a kiss, this was as closest as they had gotten to real passion. Not just a quick tryst to satiate lust, or in his own case, a part of his plan, but meaningful. And for that, he would gladly undergo the slight ache it brought.

Afterwards, they had dinner and cuddled up on the sofa. And at night Kyouraku unfortunately leashed him back up, before going to bed. 

All in due time though, Sousuke thought, as Kyouraku disappeared in his room.

-0-

But Sousuke unfortunately hit a dead end concerning Kyouraku’s progress.

It had been weeks now and while he was let off the leash as long as Kyouraku was awake and resided in the house, Sousuke was still figuratively bound in those moments, when Kyouraku still followed him around the house. 

He had gotten to the second floor, well, it was actually more of a split level, with a couple of steps leading up to three rooms. And he had found out that the three rooms were, the bathroom, Kyouraku’s room and a study/spare room?

He couldn’t be sure of the latter, when he hadn’t had a chance yet to explore and the door in question was always closed. But he was fairly certain that Kyouraku was hiding his belongings in that room. Because aside from the bathroom the other two rooms were forbidden entry. 

And no amount of blackmailing Kyouraku into abstinence or surly behaviour seemed to sway Kyouraku or convince the man into allowing Sousuke a little more freedom.

Kyouraku’s infatuation wasn’t consuming the man’s common sense entirely...

Unfortunately.

And on occasions, Kyouraku’s madness resurfaced, mostly influenced by whiskey or whatever sort of hard liquor Kyouraku got his hands on. 

It was never really visible when Kyouraku had drank a few glasses of liquor unless Sousuke had actually seen it. Since generally, there was no slurring of words or stumbles through the house. Practiced as the man was in the art of binge drinking, Kyouraku seemed unfazed by an unhealthy amount of liquor. In fact the only sign that would betray Kyouraku had been drinking, was his breath.

But on those days, -or should he say nights, since those moments mostly transpired in the evening- that Kyouraku’s liver would be swimming in bottles of liquor, it was more than obvious. And then he wasn’t talking about the outward appearances of Kyouraku’s intoxication but about the man’s volatile behaviour instead.

The contrast of nice Kyouraku and the one cast in the shadows was devastating. After countless of cosy moments on the couch it was painful to see **that** Kyouraku returning. But it was also a dire reminder to his conscience of what Kyouraku was capable of.

Not that Kyouraku would consciously work out his anger on Sousuke or it certainly didn’t escalate into Kyouraku getting his gun. At least, not yet... 

Drunken resentment would manifest itself in unintelligent mumbling and curses and a whole lot of projectiles flying around. Whether it were random glasses or bottles of liquor.

It didn’t matter... Sousuke smartly kept out of the drunkard’s line of sight and covered himself when any glass- or wood splinters propelled his way. He certainly wasn’t going to provoke the man when the storm would lay off after a while, and more often with Kyouraku snoring and sleeping it off in the most uncomfortable position. 

Which would have been an excellent opportunity to take advantage of Kyouraku’s unguarded position. But even then, the goal of that gun hauntingly destroyed any chances. Though, Sousuke had searched Kyouraku on multiple occasions in the hope of finding the pliers, but Kyouraku only had had his car keys on his person.

That night it was different.

It began relatively the same. Kyouraku had stumbled home and was fiddling in the kitchen, making a mess by the sounds of glass breaking and the accompanied swearing... And then Kyouraku made his way into the living room before looking into Sousuke’s direction. Livid features practically enhanced the drowning madness from within and then Kyouraku honed in on him with sure and heavy steps.

Sousuke had only met that ferocious intent once and it suddenly paralysed him completely. Even though his mind was bracing himself to go into a defensive mode. He saw Kyouraku’s arm reaching out and he could do nothing but stare and practically hyperventilate...

Yet Kyouraku ripped the landscape picture, that hung above the mantlepiece off of the wall, indirectly shoving the photo of him and his husband to the ground. The landscape picture was repeatedly smashed into the nearest furniture, the coffee table. Subjecting the rest of the objects it was littered with, to the same destruction. When it was sufficiently broken so Kyouraku was only hanging on to a piece of the framework, he decided to target the canvas specifically. Which had Kyouraku falling over for some reason...

Sousuke hadn’t envisioned Kyouraku recoiling back, what with his blanket acting as coverage, so he was more than surprised to end up with a body full of said man’s weight crushing him to the stony edge of the fireplace.

And then, Kyouraku slumping over, dragged Sousuke down to the ground as well.

All was quiet after that, so Sousuke presumed that Kyouraku would have fallen asleep, as was the routine.

But then he heard a soft sobbing sound and felt the tremors going through Kyouraku’s body. He glanced, picturing Kyouraku to be injured, which would be a first in his drunken haze, but instead the man was clutching the destroyed canvas while wailing. 

Sousuke sighed. If there was one thing that was worse than a violent drunk, it was an emotional one...

He never really understood what could trigger Kyouraku into such a state of mind in the first place, but his drinking was mostly initiated by a depressive mood. Which had Kyouraku clustered to either the couch or his bedroom and tightly clutching his comfort bottle.

Sousuke had interfered only once by grabbing the bottle, trying to pry it out of Kyouraku’s palm, yet it had only resulted in the strong liquor sloshing over both of them when Kyouraku pushed him away.

Which naturally catapulted Sousuke to the ground when his thigh couldn’t handle that strength.

And from that moment on, Sousuke had let the man wallow in self-pity, it wasn’t his problem. He only wanted to get away, not rehabilitate a lost cause, or immerse himself in possible deeper feelings.

But apparently it could get worse...

He sighed again and tentatively patted Kyouraku’s back, in case the man would lash out anyways. Kyouraku did turn to him, but only to make use of his lap. Sousuke got a head full of Kyouraku smooshed in his thighs and for once it wasn’t sexual. And he was the one doing the comforting, not the other way around. It weren’t Kyouraku’s strong arms holding him up, but Sousuke more or less holding Kyouraku... 

After all the fake emotions, this was the hardest one to forge. Because Sousuke didn’t really know how to act and he was devastatingly conflicted with his own thoughts regarding **this** Kyouraku.

Wasted beyond any recognition, Kyouraku would remember nothing or bits of pieces so Sousuke shouldn’t necessarily act out the part of a caring partner and yet he was still caressing Kyouraku’s back and being weighted down by dead weight which was crushing his injured thigh, so he adjusted Kyouraku’s heavy head a little. 

He shouldn’t be feeling pity in the slightest, because he hadn’t been let off of the leash that day and Kyouraku had more or less forsaken to take care of him by skipping his lunch and evening dinner. At least he had plenty of water to hydrate...

So in true revenge, he should have just shoved Kyouraku off of his lap entirely.

But he didn’t. 

And the only excuse he could give to himself was, he was starved of emotional contact himself. Even though he hated those sort of feelings... But even this, despite Kyouraku’s teary face rubbing into his right thigh and that untamed beard tickling his skin, was nice. 

“Mhh?” he inquired when he heard and felt the moist heat of Kyouraku mumbling into his thigh.

“Les go t’ bed...” 

He let go of Kyouraku when the man shifted. Yet actually straightening up became a clear struggle, which ended in a complete failure when Sousuke had to shove the fool off when Kyouraku supported himself directly on his left thigh.

It had shot a fervent throb through Sousuke’s entire leg and he had to get that back under control before he could concentrate back on Kyouraku. He got up to pull the man along with him, but even then Kyouraku’s entire body went slack, not cooperating in the slightest.

“Didn’t you want to go to bed?” he questioned and nudged Kyouraku when his arms were limply being held up by Sousuke and the rest of that body was just slumped over. Even Kyouraku’s eyes were closed. “Kyouraku-san...”

“Huh?” Kyouraku rumbled after a full minute. 

“Bed,” he emphasised with a yank on Kyouraku’s arms. “you wanted to go to bed.”

One of Kyouraku’s eyes peered open. “Ye...thas right.” Finally the fool moved along to his pulling, but it was actually more like Kyouraku threw his weight at Sousuke and he ended up crushed against the wall for a second time. But this time, Kyouraku was supporting himself on his chain and it was practically choking him.

Gasping and hitting at Kyouraku’s chest had the fool realising his mistake with a chuckle. “Sorry ‘bout that...”

Sousuke was still sucking in air through his teeth when it became clear that Kyouraku was searching his pockets. Was Kyouraku thinking of releasing him? He didn’t dare to voice that, in case it would magically sober the man up.

Disappointment washed over him when Kyouraku walked over towards the kitchen instead.

Well... apparently there was a limit to his drunkenness. Wishful thinking on his own part, or so he thought, because Kyouraku returned and the pliers in his hand caught Sousuke’s focus immediately. Even though he was still kind of heaving, he waited with bated breath as Kyouraku cut him loose. 

The pliers disappeared back into Kyouraku’s pocket, before the man pulled him along to the couch.

This could have been his moment. Every fibre in Sousuke was screaming to run towards that one room to get the gun, deal out his revenge, since that dead weight was no match for him anymore, and then get the hell out of this mess. 

And yet... it somehow felt unfair. Never mind that Kyouraku never took his feelings into consideration when shooting him...

But as he was being pulled into Kyouraku’s embrace, cuddled up on the couch, as they did on so many evenings, his revenge would kind of leave a bitter taste in his mouth. No, he wanted to take Kyouraku down when the man was fully conscious and aware. He wanted to see the betrayal in Kyouraku’s eyes, and not be confronted with someone that was barely aware of anything at all.

As in Kyouraku’s own words; _‘I’ll do that when you’re awake’_ Yeah... same.

With Kyouraku deep asleep the second he so much as hit the couch, Sousuke wriggled his way out of the hold, took the pliers out of the fool’s pocket and hid them away in the bookcase. Before reassuming his role as cuddle blanket.

And Sousuke slept surprisingly well even though freedom was practically in his grasp. He was only forcedly awakened when Kyouraku was clearly searching for the pliers. Hangovers were also not really something that bothered Kyouraku.

Kyouraku was looking under the couch and the coffee table, overturning pillows, blankets, stuffing his hand between every nook and cranny in the couch, he even moved the couch and coffee table,... In general, not really caring if Sousuke was still deeply asleep, especially not when the man began wedging his arm beneath Sousuke as well. 

Yet Sousuke still pretended to sleep. 

He was wondering if Kyouraku was going to shake him awake, because the man was already jostling him enough to achieve that. An accusation was probably on his tongue anyways... 

But no, Kyouraku disappeared and not much later Sousuke was chained back up. Of course Kyouraku had spare pliers...not that that mattered anymore.

The man began a second search, just as fruitless, and with everything suddenly quiet, Sousuke took a peek. Actually, no, the man had cleaned up his mess and was currently holding the picture that had fallen off of the mantlepiece. He was palming the photograph with sorrowful eyes.

At the sight, Sousuke would have almost pitied Kyouraku...almost.

When Kyouraku began moving again, Sousuke feigned sleep once again.

Up the stairs by the sound of it. It took a while for Kyouraku to come back, so Sousuke dared another peek at the bookcase, to make sure that his treasure was still hidden. But with everything still in place, that must not have been a possible hiding place in Kyouraku’s mind. He then closed his eyes again and only reopened them when he heard footsteps passing him.

The familiar scent of rosewood wafting off of Kyouraku told Sousuke that Kyouraku was ready for the day and about to go out. 

Sousuke didn’t get up instantly though, he waited about twenty minutes before rushing to the bookcase and freeing himself of his chains. All the while he was on high alert for any sound that signified that Kyouraku was coming back. Which would normally not be the case for another couple of hours, but he rather remained vigilant.

He looked outside of the windows, dawn was only starting to brighten up the pitch-black night sky. He couldn’t see Kyouraku anywhere, so he limped as quietly as possible over towards the kitchen. Still vehemently afraid that he was alerting Kyouraku...

Yet, even through those windows he could see no movement. 

He then stopped wasting time and went up to the two ‘forbidden’ rooms. Perhaps he shouldn’t have bothered with Kyouraku’s room, but his gut feeling was too hard to ignore and he browsed through the closets and drawers anyways.

It was full of clothes, blankets, random junk that wasn’t about to get him out of here. He then should have just hurried to the mystery room... 

But then he found the rest of his clothes that had been stuck in his backpack.

Nothing else though, no passport or permits and yet it indirectly compelled him to take everything out of the drawers to search them properly. A complete waste of his time... Because there was still nothing of importance besides his spare clothes and he was forced to stuff everything back into the drawers in a manner that didn’t seem suspicious. 

When he heard something he abruptly stopped and specifically walked up to the doorway to listen for an indication that Kyouraku might be back. But it was eerily quiet.

With the place brightened up and reminding him of the time, Sousuke hastily put the remaining clothes back before finally focusing on the room he hadn’t entered yet.

It was a hobby room. Canvases of unfinished paintings leaned against the walls. A huge easel overlooked a window, a desk held a multitude of art supplies such as brushes and paint. So that was where all the landscape paintings in the living room came from...

They were hand painted... And probably not by Kyouraku...

Alright. Now he kind of understood why it was forbidden entry.

It had nothing to do with his personal documents or the gun for that matter...it was likely just a painful memory. 

He looked back outside, wondering what other place he could search through and although he didn’t see the shed, it was the first thing that popped into his mind. So he hurried to the kitchen, where he first browsed through the kitchen cabinets. An unlikely place but so was the bookcase where Sousuke had hid the pliers...

Nothing of course and then Sousuke turned to the outside. With the shed in full sight he was about to limp his way over, when he startled as soon as one of the horses neighed in the distance... 

He had to get his heartbeat first back under control before moving on. And then he first peeked around the corner of the house. The side that had no windows where likely the car was parked all the time...

But neither Kyouraku, or the car was there.

Sousuke then practically ran towards the shed, with his leg protesting or not, this was his chance. But as he tried to wrench the door open, it wouldn’t budge. Locked!! Yanking at the rattling door he contemplated even forcing it open... Until he heard the sound of a hauntingly familiar motor. 

He didn’t want to turn around to be confronted with that red car, he wanted to run and hide instead, but the pain that travelled through his left leg was a harsh reality of what could happen if he chose that option.

Scraping all of his courage together, he finally faced his doom.

He saw nothing though, but he did hear the car door closing. Which had Sousuke sprinting to get back in the house, arm himself with any sort of weapon, that he could throw when Kyouraku came after him. He flung the kitchen door open and shoved it closed again and even though he had searched the kitchen just moments before, he had to reopen a couple of drawers to get one of the knives in hand.

Before he flattened himself against the wall next to the door, waiting.

He counted the agonising seconds. His heart was beating in his throat, paralysing him in suspense...

But it just took forever... And when he carefully looked outside, the shed’s door was open, but no raging Kyouraku to be seen. Sousuke remained grounded to his spot, waiting. Until Kyouraku reappeared and locked the shed’s door, before walking around the corner of his house with a couple of animal carcasses in hand.

Kyouraku was just going on his day? The man hadn’t seen him?...

The adrenaline just washed away leaving Sousuke thoroughly exhausted and in pain from straining his leg. 

He put the knife back in the drawer before giving up on his grand disappointing search. Back in his ‘place’, he willingly chained himself back up. It got him feeling down and entirely discouraged. 

This was not what he had had in mind.

When Kyouraku returned, his mood translated into pure silence. The food he was given was the first meal Sousuke had since yesterday’s ‘breakfast’. Which only increased his resentment of the man. While for Kyouraku this seemed to be normal.

This was not the life he wanted to live. Kyouraku then disappeared again, up to whatever business, while Sousuke was left alone.

Maybe he needed that time to lift up his dispirit. It was his first attempt at freedom that got him nearly out. So of course, failure would hit harder at the brink of squashing his chains.

But, it wouldn’t be his last attempt. In fact he orchestrated his second escape for that night.

-0-

Kyouraku had come back a total of two more times, in the early afternoon and in the evening, to which he then stayed. And with the man of the house, in constant presence, Sousuke was also left off the hook.

He had swallowed his disappointment by then. Simply because he had a new goal in mind; Kyouraku’s keys. The ones that were teasingly hanging off of the man’s belt, jiggling with every step he made.

And what better way to get those in his hands than through seduction. It was a routine of theirs after all.

Sousuke made it Kyouraku particularly comfortable by urging the man into his favourite spot on the couch. He then handed over the remote control before preparing Kyouraku a whiskey.

Having Kyouraku’s full attention by then, even with the television murmuring in the background, Sousuke slipped out of his own booty shorts with exaggerated sensual hip movements. His shirt would come undone while slowly unbuttoning each button, before he would let the fabric fall from his shoulders just as smoothly.

Sousuke would then go through his knees, all the while making sure he had Kyouraku’s intensive gaze focused on him. And without a grimace, he adjusted himself in the most convenient position that wouldn’t strain his thigh. 

He would simultaneously slither his hand with a sure intent towards Kyouraku’s bulge, where he would knead the growing shaft through those thick jeans. Kyouraku’s palm would always have already palmed his cheeks, caressing as if in trepidation of what to come. Those hands heavy and an unconscious guidance, even though Sousuke would just lean into that warmth. And when they left, Sousuke would end up nuzzling in between Kyouraku’s clothed thighs, teasingly rubbing up against Kyouraku and seeking approval.

Approval to get those jeans off in this case. Although there was something raw and sensual about leaving Kyouraku clothed, dick out, and with himself naked, vulnerable and completely at Kyouraku’s mercy.

Not that evening though.

He wanted those jeans pooled around Kyouraku’s ankles, keys out of Kyouraku’s sight. While outwardly he was just eager to show how much he appreciated Kyouraku. Treat the man, since Kyouraku took such ‘good’ care of him.

Maybe a tiny smirk would sometimes betray his actual feelings, but that could just as much be translated into sensual playfulness. Besides, Kyouraku was just too infatuated with pure pleasure. 

The keys weren’t easily slipped off though, Sousuke needed both hands, which he concealed by allowing Kyouraku free rein to thrust in his mouth. He would be giving Kyouraku a sense of control and that would fervently avert the man’s attention from what was happening below. Furthermore, his hand movements could be disguised by the fact that he could be palming himself. Tucking to the humiliation of having Kyouraku use him.

He was hard anyways, there was something exhilarating about fooling Kyouraku so blatantly.

But he was perhaps a little too transfixed on his mission. Kyouraku had said something and it went completely passed his head. It was only when Kyouraku’s sure hand prevented Sousuke from taking Kyouraku down again that he became aware.

“You’re on tv.”

?... Those words enhanced the background noise of the television which had reality hitting hard.

_‘... Sousuke Aizen is a twenty-one year old male of Japanese descent that disappeared four weeks ago, he was last seen...’_

The picture underneath the missing person’s alert was the one that decorated his passport as well. The serious facial expression he made on the photo practically expressing the severity of the news report.

He had made headlines...

Ones that had him suddenly anxious on police turning up on Kyouraku’s property and then finding him like this. Debauched, seemingly willingly...

His parents were looking for him, missing him, giving him some strange sense of satisfaction that he finally had some sort of emotion dripping off of them that didn’t include prerequisites of perfect grades, good manners,... 

Instead of being relieved that people were looking for him, he was thrilled about the attention. Not the possibility of going back to how things were before...

...Or escaping Kyouraku’s clutches for that matter.

He looked back at Kyouraku, who was focused on him and not the television.

“I’m famous.” he remarked sarcastically, which had Kyouraku responding with a wry smile. And then he easily switched the channel, and went back to his blowjob. At least he was familiar with those accompanied feelings.

And he got his prize in the end; the key!

He generously refilled Kyouraku’s glass a couple of times afterwards, to make sure the man would enjoy an undisturbed sleep. And coerce Kyouraku into a nonchalantness towards his surroundings, especially regarding his missing keys.

And just like that morning, Sousuke waited a good portion before finally unshackling himself. Even though everything in the house was quiet. Everything except his racing heartbeat that had his hands trembling in pure anxiety.

He navigated through the dark, afraid that if he had to turn on a single light, Kyouraku would wake up...

His night blindness or general bad eyesight had him slowing down his footsteps in small shuffles and his hands were reaching out, carefully withholding from encountering an obstacle. He was more than accustomed to the interior but accidentally bumping into an object and possibly shoving something off could contribute to alerting Kyouraku.

The minutes that had been lost with purely standing there and listening... were a waste of time. Kyouraku didn’t sleep in at all but rather woke up at the crack of dawn, even with plenty of alcohol in his blood... Late nights and early mornings were a routine to the man.

When Sousuke finally reached the kitchen, he had to minutely turn on the lights. He didn’t want to endlessly fiddle with the keys and he certainly didn’t want to make any unnecessary noise by searching for the keyhole. Trying the different set of keys on the door was already unnerving and noisy enough. 

And as soon as the door opened, he should have taken a few breaths to calm himself instead of blindingly running in the direction of the shed. The pitch-black night, without a single star decorating the sky, forced him to go back into the kitchen to turn the lights on again. It would not be a headlight that shone right at the shed, but, it was enough.

He could have sworn he had heard something in the living room, which had him pausing midst turning on the lights, hand still reaching for the switch, he waited apprehensively on Kyouraku’s voice...

But Kyouraku wouldn’t be in possession of the gun... Which had Sousuke flicking the switch immediately before turning around and running towards the shed, with or without being chased. The way he was rushing, did feel like he had something following him on his heels. 

The trembling in his hands had worsened due to his adrenaline and it was harder to separate the right key or even get the little trinket in the keyhole... which translated in a lot of fumbling, and for what? Since Kyouraku still wasn’t there. Sousuke had been so apprehensive on anything going wrong that he must have imagined the noises in the living room, because when he glanced at the kitchen windows, he couldn’t see any movement inside whatsoever.

Brightening up the shed, he would have expected the gun to be displayed in plain sight, but alas...

Which set him back, yet again. Not only because searching was time consuming, but because Kyouraku’s butcher table made him queasy. It instantly catapulted him back to the first time he was brought here, his helplessness, the fear of not knowing what was about to happen...

The smell of disinfectant was strong, which reflected in the way the shed was spotless, no sign of even a drop of blood anywhere. At least not to the naked eye.

He turned to the toolboxes and although by the size of them, Sousuke could judge perfectly that there would be no gun crammed in there. Yet...desperation made him rummage through them either way.

Tools enough, tools that could be easily handled as a weapon. Hammers, saws, box cutters, screwdrivers, some more pliers,...

But,...

_It was not the gun._

He should have just abandoned his fervent need to get **that** specific weapon, since he likely wouldn’t be able to fool Kyouraku like this all the time, but...

He frustratingly yanked the shed’s door closed.

It needed to be the rifle! After all the countless of passed opportunities where he could have just taken advantage of Kyouraku’s unconscious drunkenness or just grabbed a bottle to smash it against the back of the man’s head, the access to the cutlery whenever Kyouraku or he cooked,... No! No, he refused to accept surrender so easily, it was not like Kyouraku could have dumped his precious weapon when he needed it while hunting...

The car!

Sousuke stepped behind the corner of the farmhouse that had no windows and indeed, the silhouette of the pickup truck was more than visible.

Of course, the weapon was hidden in the car’s trunk. He searched for the key that was responsible for unlocking the vehicle and once he pushed the button, the vehicle sprang to life with a beeping signal and the headlights blinded him in an instant.

Once the lights dimmed once again, he anxiously glanced behind him, afraid that the noise and the fleeting beams had been able to reach Kyouraku.

He idly stood there for a while, in the dark. Pure vengeance simply in hand reach...

A strange sense of remorse momentarily gripped him. Which was ridiculous, he didn’t even have the weapon in his hands or he was regretting his future action already?

But when he rounded the trunk, the undeniable grizzly feeling of being stuffed in said confined space completely overwhelmed any remorse. The gun was heavy in his hands, unconsciously already burdening him with the weight of taking a life. 

A new sort of adrenaline rushed through him, which had him barely even comprehending his way back through the house until he was standing at Kyouraku’s bedside.

He nudged Kyouraku with the muzzle of the gun and took a step back, out of reach for a lunging Kyouraku.

Seconds that felt like minutes ticked away and then the nightlight was turned on by a murmuring Kyouraku. 

Sousuke couldn’t explain the expression that Kyouraku made, but it was perfectly clear that any sleep vanished entirely at the sight of him. “So it has come to that.” Kyouraku said with that same wry smile that had overtaken the man’s usual amicable behaviour for the passed few days.

Kyouraku straightened up in a sitting position and as he reached out, Sousuke redirected the gun to Kyouraku’s face instead of the man’s heart. “Do not move!” he snapped while he tried to keep the weapon from shaking due to his trepidation. 

“I merely want to help you.” Kyouraku shrugged and Sousuke shook his head along with another figurative nudge with the weapon. “You should reposition the butt of the gun or you’re gonna dislocate your shoulder once it sets off.” 

“Do not tell me what to do!!” Sousuke practically yelled, calm and sensible disposition overclouded by raging emotions that he just couldn’t seem to control.

“Well, with the safety in place, you won’t be able to do much...” Kyouraku laughed disparagingly. 

He didn’t want to let Kyouraku out of sight, not even for one second, so he was tentatively glancing at the length of the gun where that safety would be located.

Kyouraku told him though, without even gesturing.

Which befuddled Sousuke, why would Kyouraku aid him instead of fighting back? The revenge he had in mind, didn’t have the reaction he had predicted, not by far.

With trembling fingers he unlocked the safety.

-0-

Sousuke drove up the familiar parking lot of the gas-station where he had been dropped off at the beginning of his trip.

Looking in the rearview mirror, Sousuke simultaneously took out his glasses from the glove compartment, before slipping them on. Something he should have done before driving, but they were often only utilised as a disguise. He then ruffled his hair that had grown quite a bit, roughing up his hairstyle somewhat in an uncharacteristic manner. 

Alright, good enough. 

He locked Kyouraku’s pickup truck and made his way into the trailer with the flickering open sign. And like he expected, the rattling chain betrayed that his presence had been noticed by the street dog right next to it. 

It barked and growled. And unlike the previous time, it didn’t startle Sousuke whatsoever. He chuckled slightly before entering.

No indecisiveness troubled him when he knew perfectly well why he came here for. Best chook around here, as Kyouraku had said...

The cashier, the same man as last time, robotically rang up his purchase, barely even looking him in the eye, while Sousuke’s focus drifted off to the missing person’s wall behind the man. His poster not the only one...

He hated the picture, he much rather preferred his new identity. The one in the poster had been naive and had been stuck on broken dreams. While his new one exuded his confident state.

“Could you tell me where I could find the bathroom?” he asked, purely in self indulgence.

The cashier pointed blindingly in the same direction as last time. A question that was probably often swung his way and yet the man paused midst putting away his change and looked twice at him. 

Sousuke smirked and gave a wave while walking back towards the matte cherry vehicle. Where he opened the trunk to stuff the meat in the cooler. The gun was in plain sight for anyone that would have walked by.

How long was he supposedly missing for now? Five months? He didn’t exactly keep count. His case had gone cold anyways. 

He drove along Tanami Road, which was now a routinely ride. And when he passed by Rabbit Flat, once a difficult spot to even drive by, he didn’t even give the abandoned stopping house more than a lingering glance. 

At a certain point, he took a turn, right into the bush. Without any decent road the ride always turned bumpy. And after a decent drive into pure nature, one could eventually catch sight of the farmhouse. 

He was about to get inside to store the chicken properly in the fridge for that evening’s chicken parmigiana when one of the horses neighed him over. Chuckling, he walked over towards the pasture to caress along the bridge of Trigger’s nose.

“Are you hungry as well, mhh?”

Trigger snorted as if in answer, but the actual response came from behind Sousuke.

“Not as hungry as I am, sweetheart.” Kyouraku rasped with a nuzzle in Sousuke’s neck. The pat on his ass, was an indirect influence to get him inside to start on dinner. 

Maybe the realisation of the fact that Kyouraku had been ready to die by his hands, ready to meet his late husband, had Sousuke’s clouding enragement vanishing that faithful night he had had the gun in his hands. 

Or it could have even been his nearing escape, back to his old life, that had frightened him and coerced him to lower the weapon.

Maybe he had even let his emotions get the best of him, because Kyouraku had turned into a project he wanted to rehabilitate. And although he had yet to have any success in getting Kyouraku to stop drinking entirely. Binge drinking until the point where the man got crazy had become a rare phenomenon instead of a habit.

Whatever it was, he certainly didn’t want Kyouraku to accept death so carelessly. Oddly, he still had revenge on his mind, but after months of telling himself that he would get Kyouraku back, it was more of a whim that returned whenever Kyouraku’s madness did spring forth. 

**End**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: I had two endings in mind for Tanami Road, it doesn’t happen often that I stick to two endings, since I’m normally set on a specific one from the start. And that would be the ending that you got, but I also had a more Aizen like twist, which would be the one where Aizen points the gun at Kyouraku. Insinuating that Aizen ‘killed’ Kyouraku, because he would be staying in Australia and taking on another identity. 
> 
> Yet when I decided I wanted a part of the fic in Kyouraku’s pov, I couldn’t stick to that ending anymore. I managed to make myself feel sorry for mad Kyouraku here, because face it, he’s a little mad here. But he’s also hurt, Jushiro’s death and the army shaped Kyouraku for life. And so I hope Aizen staying with Kyouraku is a surprising twist in a good way. Stockholm syndrome or not, Aizen definitely needed some rest of some sort as well. Because else Aizen would have turned out into that bad bitch we’re all familiar with. So in a way, Kyouraku also saved young Aizen here. 
> 
> A/N: I loved this AU so much that I made a sims 4 save file 
> 
> A/N: Also, I was thinking of songs that fit this story and Rihanna’s Love on the brain seems a good one for Aizen’s pov but for Kyouraku I would go for a German song by Falco titled Jeanny. It fits this perfectly, since it’s about a kidnapping: 
> 
> “Aber du warst durchschaut, Augen sagen mehr als Worte
> 
> Du brauchst mich doch, hmh? 
> 
> Alle wissen, das wir zusammen sind ab heute. 
> 
> Jetzt hör ich sie! Sie kommen 
> 
> Sie kommen, dich zu holen 
> 
> Sie werden dich nicht finden 
> 
> Niemand wird dich finden, du bist bei mir”
> 
> “But I saw right through you, eyes say more than words, 
> 
> You need me after all mhm? 
> 
> Everyone knows that we’re together from today, 
> 
> Now I hear them! They’re coming
> 
> They’re coming to get you
> 
> They won’t find you 
> 
> Nobody will find you, you’re with me” 


End file.
